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news
Remembering Professor Michael Mandel
CITLALLY MACIEL
News Editor
assault” in criminal law and was calling for a
re-examination of the language used in this
context. Professor Mandel was not in agreement with the article and, as per his usual
style, he fervently explained the class why.
While some seemed puzzled by his state-
LAST YEAR, before starting my first year
of law school, I received from Osgoode information concerning my courses and the professors who were teaching
them. I eagerly searched
each of them on Osgoode’s
website. I remember reading Professor Mandel’s bio
and thinking how interestingly odd it was (odd
in a good way of course).
I am not able to recall
the details and could not
go back to the website to
refresh my mind (it seems
like it has been taken
down). However, anyone
who knew Professor
Mandel would probably
agree with me that he was
anything but conventional.
Indeed, his class ended
up being the most interTHE LATE PROFESSOR MICHAEL MANDEL
esting one of all. For one,
it was the only one in my
section where heated debates took place. ments, others expressed some criticism. As
Despite the crudeness of the cases covered, usual, Professor Mandel had accomplished to
there is nothing about criminal law that is instigate controversy. In the end, however, he
notoriously more controversial than other cleverly confronted his opponents.
courses. Whether a course instigates debate
A few days before that class, I had read
or not is pretty much dependent on the way the article and I instantly knew that he
the topics are presented. That is to say, would have something to say about it. I
courses can be taught mechanically or they decided to email him the link and asked him
can be taught polemically. After all, this is what he thought about it. To my surprise, he
law school. Any issue, no matter how simple, actually responded and said: “You know, I
can be turned into a big debate.
clipped that article this morning for possible
And that is how Professor Mandel taught discussion in class, since we’re talking about
his class. He was daring, critical and some- sexual assault. I think there’s a lot of con