Patricia J. Williams

Columnist

Patricia J. Williams, a professor of law at Columbia University, was born in Boston in 1951 and holds a BA from Wellesley College and a JD from Harvard Law School.

She was a fellow in the School of Criticism and Theory at Dartmouth College and has been an associate professor at the University of Wisconsin School Law School and its department of women's studies. Williams also worked as a consumer advocate in the office of the City Attorney in Los Angeles.

A member of the State Bar of California and the Federal Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit. Williams has served on the advisory council for the Medgar Evers Center for Law and Social Justice of the City University of New York and on the board of governors for the Society of American Law Teachers, among others.

Her publications include Anthony Burns: The Defeat and Triumph of a Fugitive Slave, On Being the Object of Property, The Electronic Transformation of Law and And We Are Not Married: A Journal of Musings on Legal Language and the Ideology of Style. In 1993, Harvard University Press published Williams's The Alchemy of Race & Rights to widespread critical acclaim. She is also author of The Rooster's Egg (Harvard, 1995), Seeing a Color-Blind Future: The Paradox of Race (Reith Lectures, 1997) (Noonday Press, 1998) and, most recently, Open House: On Family Food, Friends, Piano Lessons and The Search for a Room of My Own (Farrar Straus and Giroux, 2004.)

Articles

For Their Own Good (Iraqi Reconstruction and Occupation, US Wars and Military Action)

One of my favorite little films is a satirical documentary titled
Babakiueria.

Patricia J. Williams

Unimagined Communities (Political Figures, US Intelligence, Society)

This year is the tenth anniversary of the end of
apartheid in South Africa, the fortieth anniversary of the Civil
Rights Act of 1964 and the fiftieth anniversary of the Supreme
Court's ruli

Patricia J. Williams

Uncommon Ground (Racism and Discrimination, Gender Issues, Society)

A friend who lives in Paris forwarded me an item from the Internet, concerning a singles ad that had allegedly appeared in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Patricia J. Williams

And the Winner Is... (Conservatives and the American Right, Politics)

While gaudily festooned Hollywood liberals presented each other with the false golden idol of a little naked man, enlightened others quietly celebrated the traditions of thousands of years of Wes

Patricia J. Williams

Wedlockstep (Sex and Sexuality, The Courts, Society)

When I was quite young, my entire image of marriage was filtered through the bible of Bride Magazine.

Patricia J. Williams

Animal Farm: The Republican Version (George W. Bush, Conservatives and the American Right, Politics)

My Dear Napoleon,

Patricia J. Williams

Memo From Mars (Presidential Election 2004, US Wars and Military Action, Politics)

Dear Beeblebrox,

Patricia J. Williams

Baghdad Beat (US Wars and Military Action, Police and Law Enforcement, Society)

There's a wonderful children's story by Roald Dahl titled Fantastic Mr. Fox. Mr. Fox is a wily fellow whose record of chicken theft has driven three local farmers to the point of madness.

Patricia J. Williams

Money, Money, Money (Campaign Finance, Corporate Lobbying, Politics)

It really is extraordinary. Bechtel is awarded the biggest reconstruction contract in Iraq without having to compete for it.

Patricia J. Williams

Death and Discourse (George W. Bush, US Intelligence, War on Terrorism)

"They got whacked and won't try that again," said an unnamed Pentagon official in the wake of the recent deadly confrontation in the Iraqi town of Samarra.

Patricia J. Williams