The Sociology of Law offers a distinctive view of contemporary law in Western societies and provides a clear analytical framework for the study of the diverse literature relating to its field. This edition has been enlarged and rewritten to take account of recent theoretical literature, changes of emphasis in interpretation, and new research on legal practice, dispute processing, and law enforcement since the last edition appeared in 1984.Contents:IntroductionTheory and Method in the Study of Law 1. The Social Basis of Law 2. Law as an Instrument of Social Change 3. Laws as an Integrative Mechanism 4. Law, Power and Ideology 5. The Acceptance and Legitimacy of Law 6.

Professional Guardianship of Law 7. Judges, Courts, Disputes 8. The Enforcement and Invocation of Law 9. The Prognosis for Law Index.