If you're living near Ann Arbor, you might be interested in this conference at the University of Michigan Law School.

The conference title, "Law and Democracy in the Empire of Force," comes from Simone Weil's essay on the Iliad, where "she uses it to refer not only to systems of military force violence, but to all the ways a culture invites its members to dehumanize others and themselves."

While it's not specifically a conference on law and religion, several people who speak and write frequently on law and religion will be there. For example, Jeff Powell, who teaches in the Law School and the Divinity School at Duke, will be speaking on "Law as A Tool: The Consequences for American Government," Howard Lesnick, from Penn Law School, will be giving a paper titled "If We differ Over a Moral Question, Call Me Wrong, but Don't Call Me a Relativist. " James Boyd White, whose work has been so influential on people like Mary Ann Glendon and others, including me, is giving a paper on "Law, Economics, and Torture." The brilliant and learned John T. Noonan Jr. is giving a paper on "The Age of Accusation." And I'm giving a paper entitled "Democracy and Prophecy: A Study in Prophecy, Rhetoric and Religion."

Other fabulous and distinguished speakers too! Look at the flyer!The conference is April 13-14; I admit I'm a bit spooked to be speaking on Friday 13, but . . . what can you do?