Law And Society

by Vago, Steven

• ISBN13: 9780131928442
• ISBN10: 0131928449
• Edition: 8th
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2009-01-01
• Publisher: Taylor & Francis

Summary

This highly readable and comprehensive book offers a balanced, current and comprehensive overview of the legal system; and administrative, criminal and civil law in a cross-cultural context. It considers the most recent theories and research findings, and emphasizes developing and emerging trends. It focuses on the evolution of modern legal systems, current intellectual movements in law, interplay between law and social change, and the main concerns and issues in the profession and practice of law. This is the only book that considers multicultural and cross-cultural issues in a contemporary context with an interdisciplinary emphasis. For individuals interested in the law, criminal justice, and political science.

Table of Contents

PREFACE	xi
1 INTRODUCTION	1	(37)
Overview	2	(6)
Definitions of Law	8	(3)
Types of Law	11	(1)
Major Legal Systems	12	(6)
Romano-Germanic System	13	(1)
Common-Law System	13	(1)
Socialist Legal System	13	(4)
Islamic Legal System	17	(1)
Functions of Law	18	(3)
Social Control	19	(1)
Dispute Settlement	20	(1)
Social Change	20	(1)
Dysfunctions of Law	21	(2)
Paradigms of Society	23	(3)
The Consensus Perspective	23	(1)
The Conflict Perspective	24	(2)
Options for Sociologists	26	(2)
Summary	28	(1)
Suggested Further Readings	29	(2)
References	31	(7)
2 THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVES	38	(48)
The Evolution of Legal Systems	39	(6)
Primitive Legal Systems	41	(1)
Transitional Legal Systems	42	(2)
Modern Legal Systems	44	(1)
Theories of Law and Society	45	(17)
The European Pioneers	46	(4)
Classical Sociological Theorists	50	(4)
Sociolegal Theorists	54	(4)
Contemporary Law and Society Theorists	58	(4)
Current Intellectual Movements in Law	62	(12)
The Functionalist Approach	63	(2)
Conflict and Marxist Approaches	65	(2)
Critical Legal Studies Movement	67	(2)
Feminist Legal Theory	69	(3)
Critical Race Theory	72	(2)
Summary	74	(2)
Suggested Further Readings	76	(2)
References	78	(8)
3 THE ORGANIZATION OF LAW	86	(71)
Courts	86	(30)
Dispute Categories	87	(2)
The Organization of Courts	89	(2)
Participants in Court Processes	91	(17)
The Flow of Litigation	108	(8)
Legislatures	116	(7)
The Organization of Legislatures	117	(1)
Participants in the Legislative Process	118	(5)
Administrative Agencies	123	(7)
The Organization of Administrative Agencies	125	(2)
The Administrative Process	127	(3)
Law Enforcement Agencies	130	(12)
The Organization of Law Enforcement Agencies	135	(4)
Police Discretion	139	(3)
Summary	142	(2)
Suggested Further Readings	144	(2)
References	146	(11)
4 LAWMAKING	157	(40)
Perspectives on Lawmaking	157	(3)
Legislation	160	(2)
Administrative Lawmaking	162	(3)
Administrative Rulemaking	163	(1)
Administrative Adjudication	164	(1)
Judicial Lawmaking	165	(5)
Lawmaking by Precedents	167	(1)
The Interpretation of Statutes	168	(1)
The Interpretation of Constitutions	169	(1)
Influences on the Lawmaking Process	170	(8)
Interest Groups	170	(3)
Public Opinion	173	(3)
Lawmaking and Social Science	176	(2)
Sources of Impetus for Law	178	(11)
Detached Scholarly Diagnosis	179	(1)
A Voice from the Wilderness	180	(2)
Protest Activity	182	(1)
Social Movements	183	(1)
Public Interest Groups	184	(2)
The Mass Media	186	(3)
Summary	189	(1)
Suggested Further Readings	190	(1)
References	191	(6)
5 LAW AND SOCIAL CONTROL	197	(62)
Informal Social Controls	198	(3)
Formal Social Controls	201	(16)
Criminal Sanctions	202	(5)
Discord over the Death Penalty	207	(7)
Civil Commitment	214	(3)
Crimes Without Victims	217	(13)
Drug Addiction	218	(5)
Prostitution	223	(2)
Gambling	225	(5)
White-Collar Crime	230	(5)
Social Control of Dissent	235	(4)
Administrative Law and Social Control	239	(4)
Licensing	240	(2)
Inspection	242	(1)
Threat of Publicity	242	(1)
Summary	243	(2)
Suggested Further Readings	245	(3)
References	248	(11)
6 LAW AND DISPUTE RESOLUTION	259	(58)
A Note on Terminology	259	(2)
Methods of Dispute Resolution	261	(10)
Primary Resolution Processes	264	(4)
Hybrid Resolution Processes	268	(3)
Demands for Court Services in Dispute Resolution	271	(12)
Variations in Litigation Rates	277	(6)
Prerequisites for the Use of Courts in Dispute Resolution	283	(2)
Typology of Litigants	285	(2)
Disputes Between Individuals	287	(5)
Disputes Between Individuals and Organizations	292	(9)
Law as a Method of Dispute Resolution in Academe	294	(5)
The Courts as Collection Agencies	299	(2)
Disputes Between Organizations	301	(4)
Public-Interest Law Firms in Environmental Disputes	303	(2)
Summary	305	(2)
Suggested Further Readings	307	(2)
References	309	(8)
7 LAW AND SOCIAL CHANGE	317	(37)
Reciprocity Between Law and Social Change	318	(2)
Social Changes as Causes of Legal Changes	320	(2)
Law as an Instrument of Social Change	322	(6)
The Efficacy of Law as an Instrument of Social Change	326	(2)
Advantages of Law in Creating Social Change	328	(5)
Legitimate Authority	328	(2)
The Binding Force of Law	330	(2)
Sanctions	332	(1)
Limitations of Law in Creating Social Change	333	(6)
Law as a Policy Instrument	335	(1)
Morality and Values	336	(3)
Resistance to Change	339	(8)
Social Factors	340	(2)
Psychological Factors	342	(3)
Cultural Factors	345	(1)
Economic Factors	346	(1)
Summary	347	(1)
Suggested Further Readings	348	(1)
References	349	(5)
8 THE LEGAL PROFESSION	354	(69)
Background	354	(1)
The Professionalization of Lawyers	355	(4)
The Evolution of the American Legal Profession	359	(5)
The Profession Today	364	(4)
Where the Lawyers Are	368	(8)
Private Practice	369	(4)
Government	373	(1)
Private Employment	374	(1)
Judiciary	375	(1)
Lawyers and Money	376	(7)
Competition for Business	383	(4)
Legal Services for the Poor and Not So Poor	387	(5)
Law Schools	392	(9)
Socialization into the Profession	398	(3)
Bar Admission	401	(3)
Bar Associations as Interest Groups	404	(2)
Professional Discipline	406	(4)
Summary	410	(3)
Suggested Further Readings	413	(2)
References	415	(8)
9 RESEARCHING LAW IN SOCIETY	423	(30)
Methods of Inquiry	423	(11)
Historical Methods	425	(2)
Observational Methods	427	(2)
Experimental Methods	429	(3)
Survey Methods	432	(2)
The Impact of Sociology on Social Policy	434	(6)
Contributions of Sociology to Policy Recommendations	435	(4)
Contributions of Sociology to Enacted Policy	439	(1)
Evaluation Research and Impact Studies	440	(6)
Summary	446	(1)
Suggested Further Readings	447	(1)
References	448	(5)
Index	453