Law and Society: An Introduction

In recent years, legal studies courses have increased the focus on contemporary social issues as part of the curriculum. Law and Society: An Introduction discusses the interface between these two institutions and encourages students in the development of new insights on the topic. The book begins by introducing definitions, classifications, and the concept of the "rule of law." It then explores:

• Principal legal systems, including common law, civil law, Islamic and socialist systems, and American Indian law
• Feminist legal theories, critical race theory, and the roles of morality and values in social control
• The contributions of sociological research and its impact on the law
• Court systems and procedures, the exclusionary rule, and plea bargaining
• The nature and process of legislative, administrative, and judicial lawmaking
• Alternative dispute resolution and international arbitration and mediation
• The law as a mechanism for social changes, such as those brought on by the 1964 Civil Rights Act
• Issues related to the legal profession and professional responsibility

This text eliminates the need for a separate reader by also discussing controversial legal topics-including affirmative action, education, the death penalty, right to work laws, and abortion. Each chapter builds on the previous ones and includes concrete examples of the issues involved. Enhanced by chapter summaries of salient points, review questions, and practical exercises, the book is designed to encourage students in the development of new insights into the relationships between law and society.

An Overview of Law and Society
Law and Society
Definitions of Law
Classifications of Legal Rules
Approaches to Law and Society
Rule of Law
Legal Systems
Common-Law Systems
Civil-Law Systems
Islamic
Socialist
American Indian Law
Theories of Law
European Pioneer Theorists
Interrelationship between Society and Law
Modern Legal Theorists
Critical Legal Studies
Feminist Legal Theories
Critical Race Theory
Social Research Methods
Fundamentals of Research
Methods of Inquiry
Policy and Evaluation Research
Differentiating Between Social and Criminal Justice
Legal Structures
Courts
Federal Court System
Classifications of Law
Scope of the Law
Participants
Flow of Litigation in Civil Proceedings
Flow of Criminal Proceedings
Lawmaking
State Legislatures
How a Bill Becomes a Law
Administrative Agencies and Rulemaking
Law Enforcers
Punishment
Social Control
Behavior and Social Controls
Informal Social Controls
Formal Controls
Controlling Dissent
Language Morphology Issues
Lawmaking as a Form of Social Control
Nature of Lawmaking
Legislative Lawmaking
Administrative Lawmaking
Judicial Lawmaking
Interest Groups
Dispute Resolution
Dispute Resolution Methods
Litigation as a Means of Resolving Disputes
Alternative Dispute Resolution
Conflict Resolution and Delinquency
International Arbitration and Mediation
Social Change and Law
Nature of Social Change and Law
Courts as Mechanism for Social Change
Impact of Social Change on Law
Lawyers
The Legal Profession
The Legal Profession in the United States
The Legal Profession Today
Lawyer Advertising
Professional Responsibility
Future of the Law
Private Life and the Law
Right to Privacy
Privacy Act of 1974
Abortion
Pornography
Crime and Justice Issues
Exclusionary Rule
Plea Bargaining
Hate Crimes
Stalking
Capital Punishment
Imprisonment
Labor Issues and the Law
Governmental Labor Policies
National Labor Relations Act
Present State of Labor Unions
Employers and Employee Rights
Right-to-Work Laws and Unions
Concerted Action
Fair Labor Standards Act
Discrimination
Workers' Compensation
Index