Inaugural Lecture Series

The Dickson Poon School of Law is proud to present our Inaugural Lecture Series. Inaugural Lectures are a celebration of our Professors, as they present an overview of their contribution to their field, as well as highlight its latest developments. The lecture is open to both members of the university community and the wider public, and is followed by a reception in the Great Hall.

Professor Lorenzo Zucca: The Art of Navigating Uncertainty: Nature, Norms, and Poetic Wisdom.

In "The Art of Navigating Uncertainty," Professor Lorenzo Zucca explores the fundamental tension between our desire for certainty and the inherent unpredictability of human life. This tension is illustrated through an analysis of Shakespearean tragic characters like Hamlet, Shylock, and Prospero. Their stories highlight the limitations of philosophy, law, and science when confronted with uncertainty. While these traditional avenues of knowledge are valuable, they often fall short in addressing the unpredictability of human experience.

Zucca introduces the concept of Poetic Wisdom as a mode of understanding rooted in creative imagination, empathy, and the acceptance of uncertainty. Inspired by Giambattista Vico and John Keats, this wisdom provides a path beyond rigid rationality, embracing mystery and doubt as essential elements of life. Through poetic expressions, art, and literature, we gain access to deeper truths about our connections with others, the natural world, and ourselves.

The lecture culminates in the argument that navigating uncertainty requires a balance between reason and emotion, as well as rational analysis and imagination. In uncertain times, poetry, art, and music serve as tools to engage with the unknown, offering meaningful insights into the human condition.

Lorenzo Zucca is an internationally renowned scholar whose work bridges law, philosophy, politics, and literature. His academic journey has taken him through prestigious institutions in Milan, Paris, Oxford, Florence, and New York, before establishing his current position in London.

Professor Zucca's research is notable for its depth and breadth, exploring critical issues at the intersection of human rights law, constitutionalism, and the complex relationship between Church and State. He challenges conventional approaches to law and governance, particularly regarding religion and public life.

He is the author of Constitutional Dilemmas: Conflicts of Fundamental Legal Rights in Europe and the USA (Oxford University Press, 2007), a key reference in comparative constitutional law, and A Secular Europe: Law and Religion in the European Constitutional Landscape (Oxford University Press, 2012), which critically examines religious freedom, toleration, and European identity. His prolific body of work also includes numerous influential articles on human rights theory and constitutional law.

His latest project, The Poet of Uncertainty, is a groundbreaking investigation into Shakespeare's exploration of power, knowledge, and the human condition. This ambitious work examines the philosophical and psychological dimensions of Shakespeare's writings, offering fresh insights into human cognition and the structure of social and political institutions. It presents Shakespeare’s contribution to humanity as rooted in the ability to transform uncertainty and mystery into sources of creative imagination.