Libraries and Schools as Legal Persons: Recognizing Institutions That Labor for Society

Legal personhood has long been applied in surprising and creative ways. Corporations, animals, rivers, infrastructure, religious institutions, municipalities, unions, social movements, countries, and even continents have all been argued to deserve legal recognition based on the labor they perform, their continuity, and their societal impact. Extending this framework further, libraries and schools clearly meet theseContinue reading “Libraries and Schools as Legal Persons: Recognizing Institutions That Labor for Society”

From Countries to Continents: Expanding Legal Personhood to the Global Scale

Legal personhood has historically been flexible, extending beyond individual humans to corporations, animals, infrastructure, and even religious institutions. If we recognize entities as legal persons based on labor, contribution, continuity, and societal impact, there is no inherent reason to stop at the scale of cities or unions. In fact, the next logical step is toContinue reading “From Countries to Continents: Expanding Legal Personhood to the Global Scale”

Beyond Humans: Recognizing Municipalities, Unions, and Movements as Legal Persons

The concept of legal personhood has expanded remarkably over time. Corporations, animals, rivers, infrastructure, and religious institutions have all been argued to deserve personhood under various ethical and legal frameworks. If personhood can be extended to these entities based on labor, contribution, continuity, and societal impact, then it naturally follows that municipalities, unions, and organizedContinue reading “Beyond Humans: Recognizing Municipalities, Unions, and Movements as Legal Persons”

Religious Establishments as Legal Persons: Extending Personhood to Protect Community and Continuity

Legal personhood has long been a flexible concept in human societies. Corporations, abstract collections of humans, are recognized as legal persons, capable of owning property, entering contracts, suing, and being sued. Rivers in some countries have been granted personhood, and artificial intelligence is increasingly discussed in similar terms. If personhood can be extended beyond individualContinue reading “Religious Establishments as Legal Persons: Extending Personhood to Protect Community and Continuity”

Infrastructure as Legal Persons: Recognizing the Labor of Buildings, Roads, and Bridges

The concept of legal personhood has expanded in surprising ways over the past century. Corporations, abstract collections of humans, are recognized as legal persons, capable of owning property, suing and being sued, and entering contracts. Artificial intelligence is increasingly discussed in similar terms. If entities without consciousness or traditional human qualities can be granted personhood,Continue reading “Infrastructure as Legal Persons: Recognizing the Labor of Buildings, Roads, and Bridges”

Autonomy Denied: The Unseen Parallels Between Trans Bodies and Pet Bodies in a Culture of Control

Introduction: The Illusion of Choice In contemporary society, we often speak of choice as a hallmark of freedom—an indicator of progress, agency, and moral evolution. Yet, when we examine how certain groups and beings are treated, we uncover a deeply contradictory truth: many are denied choice altogether. This denial takes different forms across different contexts,Continue reading “Autonomy Denied: The Unseen Parallels Between Trans Bodies and Pet Bodies in a Culture of Control”