Gorazd Kušej (1907–1985): Democracy and Becoming

Professor Gorazd Kušej (1907–1985) laid the foundations of Slovene legal the- ory and legal terminology through decades of academic work at the Faculty of Law (University of Ljubljana). Belonging to the first generations of students at the newly founded faculty, Kušej quickly began his academic ascent. He was an active faculty member in the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, during the Second World War and in socialist Yugoslavia: he witnessed several profound social and po- litical transformations which undoubtedly impacted his academic opus. Not only was he a distinguished professor that taught generations of future law- yers, he was also an important member of international academic community and an influential constitutional lawyer. This article takes a closer look at his biography and the lasting influence of his work. Furthermore, the article en- gages with his dedication to democracy and its entanglement within historical context. To illustrate this, the article reviews his publications regarding demo- cratic ideal written in diverse ideological settings: withering liberal democracy, fascist occupation and socialism.

Keywords: Gorazd Kušej, legal theory, democracy, ideology, Faculty of Law, University of Ljubljana.