Education and Research in Roman Lawand Legal History 273 Only two scholars, one at Utrecht and one at Leuven, devote most of their time to the history of the law of nations. This huge and scarcely explored field allows for innovative research projects. Evidently, general history and legal history, but also political philosophy and theology, are closely intertwined in these studies. In viewof the very dynamic character and the largely customary basis of public international law, a historical insight into the international law can be of particular interest for understanding current international law and developing it.*-^ Finally, the attempts to offer syntheses, certainly those of Otto Moorman van Kappen and Raoul Van Caenegemshould not go without mentioning.*'^ 3. Problems and perspectives of Roman law and legal history in Belgium As was indicated above, in the process of federalisation the legal directives concerning the law school curricula were abolished. The programme reforms that followed since 1989 all led to the reduction of lectures and chairs in Roman law and legal history. In consequence of the federalisation, the two main Belgian communities — the Llemish speaking and the Trench speaking ones — can chose for total different policies and make other options. At the risk of generalising too much, it can be said that Llanders is orientating itself more and more to the Anglo-American tradition. Recently, in Llanders the Dutch example is much favoured. The Trench speaking part stays however more At the University of Utrecht, dr. Cornelis Gerrit Roelofsen is working on maritime law and the laws of naval warfare of the early modern period. He is also a specialist of early modern doctrine, in particular of the writings of Hugo Grotius (1583-1645). See f.i.: Cornelis Gerrit Roelofsen, Studies in the History of International Law. PracticeandDoctrine inparticular with regard to the Lawof Naval Warfare in the Low Countries from circa 1450 until the early I7‘^’. Century (doctoral thesis - Utrecht, 1991). - At the Catholic University of Leuven, Randall Lesaffer concentrates on treaty law and the use of force by states in the early modern and the modern period. See f.i.: Randall Lesaffer, Rechtshistorische onwikkeling (1453-1763) en recente evolutie (1945—1996) van het klassieke Europese statensysteern in vredes- en alliantieverdragen ('unpublished doctoral thesis - 2 din., Leuven, 1998). - See also: A. C. G. M. Eyffinger, ed.. Compendium Volkenrechtsgeschiedenis (Deventer, 1989). This textbook used at different Dutch universities where the history of the law of nations is read. — The Dutch review Grotiana publishes articles related to Hugo Grotius and his writings. Otto Moorman van Kappen, ‘Van Alva tot Modderman. Ons nationale strafwetboek in historisch perspectief’ in Gedenkboek. Honderdjaar Wetboek van Strafrecht (Gouda, 1986) 15—29; Idem, ‘Ein Rucjbhck auf der Hundertjahrfeier des niederländischen Strafgesetzbuchs (1881/86— 1986)’ in Zeitschrift der Savigny-Stiftung fiir Rechtsgeschichte. Germanistische Abteilung, 105 (1988) 256-269; Idem, ‘Het Nederlandse in de Nederlandse rechtsgeschiedenis’ in J. van Marie e.a., Het hemd is nader dan de rok. Zes voordrachten over het eigene van de Nederlandse cultuur (Assen, Maastricht, 1992) 83—106; Raoul C. Van Caenegem,/wc/ges, legislators andprofessors: chapters in European legal history (Cambridge, 1987); Idem, An historical introduction to western constitutional law(Cambridge, 1995); Idem, An historical introduction toprivate law (Cambridge, 1996).
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