Durham-in-Wonderland

The recent Durham, North Carolina case against the Duke lacrosse players is a fascinating study into the US system of law, and how various factions in US society are continuously trying to influence US law--with varying degrees of success.

One particular website has captured this spectacle in all its shame and splendor--Durham-in-Wonderland. Written by a history professor at Brooklyn College and the CUNY Graduate Center, the weblog carefully documents the chronological statements and actions of prosecutors, defendants, journalists, Duke faculty members, and other important players in this drama.

The weblog author, Professor KC Johnson, has painstakingly laid out the entire scenario from start to finish--in fact he continues documenting the significant aftermath of the case, even after all charges are dropped.

Professor Johnson illustrates what academic and public scholarship should be. His weblog is far more professional than the writings of over 99% of big-publication journalists. For anyone who aspires to write a weblog, essay, or book on a topic bearing on society and the law, a study of Durham-in-Wonderland would provide a quality goal toward which to aim.