Between Facts and Norms: contributions to a discourse theory of law and democracy by
In "Between Facts and Norms" Jurgen Habermas works out the legal and political implications of his "Theory of Communicative Action" (1981), bringing to fruition the project announced with his publication of "The Structural Transformation of the Public Sphere" in 1962. This new work is a major contribution to recent debates on the rule of law and the possibilities of democracy in postindustrial societies, but it is much more.The introduction by William Rehg succinctly captures the special nature of the work, noting that it offers a sweeping, sociologically informed conceptualization of law and basic rights, a normative account of the rule of law and the constitutional state, an attempt to bridge normative and empirical approaches to democracy, and an account of the social context required for democracy. Finally, the work frames and caps these arguments with a bold proposal for a new paradigm of law that goes beyond the dichotomies that have afflicted modern political theory from its inception and that still underlie current controversies between so- called liberals and civic republicans.The book includes a postscript written in 1994, which restates the argument in light of its initial reception, and two appendixes, which cover key developments that preceded the book.Habermas himself was actively involved in the translation, adapting the text as necessary to make it more accessible to English-speaking readers.
Concepts of law : comparative, jurisprudential, and social science perspectives by
In this study international legal experts explore legal concepts and contexts from diverse national and disciplinary perspectives. Themes range from legal and normative pluralism to the development of state law and legal systems, and from law's rhetoric and the potential utility of alternative vocabularies to the polyjurality of the present. The study combines theoretical analyses and case studies to create a rich picture of present scholarship on laws and norms and the state of contemporary legal complexity, each crossing traditional boundaries.
Drug Laws and Institutional Racism : the Story Told by the Congressional Record by
ChambersOCOs hypothesis is that an historical analysis of the Congressional discussions surrounding the opium laws in the late 1800OCOs and early 1900OCOs, the Marihuana Tax Act of 1937, and the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1986 will illustrate that competition and threat, economic and/or political, were present prior to the enactment of the laws. Analyses indicate that while economic and to a limited extent political competition between Chinese immigrants and white Americans affected the passage of the opium laws, economic and political competition had little effect on the Marihuana Tax Act or the Anti-Drug Abuse Act. While anti-minority sentiment during the opium legislation was clear and recognizable, it was almost non-existent during the marijuana legislation, and present in only nuances in the 1980OCOs. Thus, while racism was overtly embedded in three of the four opium laws it was more subtly embedded in the Anti-Drug Abuse Act."
Law, Culture and Society: Max Weber's Comparative Cultural Sociology of Law by
The historical-critical edition of Max Weber's writings on sociology of law (MWG I/22-3) revealed deep layers of Max Weber's legal texts that thus became readable for the first time. Weber breaks out from the legal centrism of the normative world and designs an Interpretation that follows the "world history of law" in a cultural-comparative sense, thereby making him appear particularly topical for today's debates on the relationship between globalization and legal analysis. With his text "Die Wirtschaft und die Ordnungen" ("Economics and the Orders"), Weber anticipated the idea of "legal pluralism" that emphasizes the diversity ofnormative orders. Further, the departure from the occidental development path of law towards the "developmental conditions of law" opens up the cognitive horizon for insights into other legal cultures, their interferences and hybridizations for which we still seem to lack the categories today. It is, then, all the more remarkable how Weber designed a great, all-encompassing meta-narrative on legal rationalism in the Occident based on a multitude of highly branched out legal histories - a narrative that can only be told through the perspective of universal history and with the world cultures of law in mind. This interpretation also captures the birth of sociology from the spirit of jurisprudence - so impressively detailed in Weber's work - that accords particular importance to law in the analysis of modernities.
Law Culture and Society: Legal Ideas in the Mirror of Social Theory by
Presenting a distinctive approach to the study of law in society and through a range of specific studies, this book seeks to integrate the sociology of law with other kinds of legal analysis and engages directly with current juristic debates in legal theory and comparative law.
Legal Construct, Social Concept: a macrosociological perspective on law by
Based on sophisticated demographic analysis, Legal Construct, Social Concept argues that legal doctrine on social issues is shaped by the needs and values of society rather than by individuals and interest groups and that it evolves in response to social change but has little impact on that change. The book also explains why a substantial body of social science research has found that although law may be effective for some types of economic problems, its impact on social problems is generally small and of brief duration. At least in the United States, legal doctrine seems to operate primarily to provide symbols that enhance commitment to the social system and increase the cohesiveness of the system. Barnett's approach to legal thought derives from the practices and assumptions of the social sciences, particularly sociology, and not from those of critical legal studies. His main concern is with social issues issues that substantively differ from economic issues. In addressing legal thought on social problems with the conceptual framework and quantitative techniques of macrosociology, he considers a topic that is infrequently investigated and employs an approach that is infrequently used. To illustrate this thesis, Barnett presents data on social patterns relevant to three current issues: sex discrimination, age discrimination, and the availability of contraception and abortion. His analyses of these data are compared to constitutional philosophy, judicial rulings, and federal statutes. Barnett then turns from the evolution of legal doctrine in the past to its possible change in the future and considers whether active forms of euthanasia are likely to be legalized. He concludes with an exploration of additional issues for future research and theory.
Race, Law, and American Society 1607 to Present by
In Race, Law, and American Society: 1607 to Present Gloria Browne-Marshall traces the history of racial discrimination in American law from colonial times to the present, analyzing the key court cases that established America's racial system and showing their impact on American society. Throughout, she places advocates for freedom and equality at the center, moving from their struggle for physical freedom in the slavery era to more recent battles for equal rights and economic equality. From the colonial period to the present, this book examines education, property ownership, voting rights, criminal justice, and the military as well as internationalism and civil liberties. Race, Law, and American Society is highly accessible and thorough in its depiction of the role race has played, with the sanction of the U.S. Supreme Court, in shaping virtually every major American social institution.
Sociology of Law: Visions of a Scholarly Tradition by 
The Cambridge Handbook of Violent Behavior and Aggression by
From a team of leading experts comes a comprehensive, multidisciplinary examination of the most current research including the complex issue of violence and violent behavior. The handbook examines a range of theoretical, policy, and research issues and provides a comprehensive overview of aggressive and violent behavior. The breadth of coverage is impressive, ranging from research on biological factors related to violence and behavior-genetics to research on terrrorism and the impact of violence in different cultures. The authors examine violence from international cross-cultural perspectives, with chapters that examine both quantitative and qualitative research. They also look at violence at multiple levels: individual, family, neighborhood, cultural, and across multiple perspectives and systems, including treatment, justice, education, and public health.
Criminal Justice by
This new text encourages students to develop a deeper understanding of the context and the current workings of the criminal justice system. The first part offers a clear and comprehensive review of the major philosophical aims and sociological theories of punishment, the history of justice and punishment and the developing perspective of victimology. In the second part, the focus is on the main areas of the contemporary criminal justice system, including the police, the courts and judiciary, prisons and community penalties. There are regular reflective question breaks which enable students to consider and respond to questions relating to what they have just read and the book contains useful pedagogic features such as boxed examples, leading questions and annotated further reading. This practical book is particularly geared to undergraduate students following programmes in criminal justice and criminology. It will also prove a useful resource for practitioners who are following vocationally based courses in the criminal justice area - in social work, youth justice and police training courses.
Drugs, Society and Human Behavior by 
Drugs and Society by
Updated to keep pace with the latest data and statistics, Drugs and Society, Twelfth Edition, contains the most current information available concerning drug use and abuse. Written in an objective and user-friendly manner, this best-selling text continues to captivate students by taking a multidisciplinary approach to the impact of drug use and abuse on the lives of average individuals. A new modern design and robust ancillary package help students understand and retain key learning objectives from each chapter and prepare for class. Contact Your Account Specialist About Our Money Saving Package Options! * Package A: Contains print text plus FREE print Student Study Guide (ISBN: 978-1-284-05478-1) * Package B: Contains print text plus FREE eBook Access Code (ISBN: 978-1-284-05821-5) * Package C: Contains print text plus FREE Navigate Access Code (ISBN: 978-1-284-05586-3)
Encyclopedia of Criminology and Criminal Justice by
Offering approximately 600 entries, this work provides unprecedented complete and systematic coverage of modern criminology and criminal justice, include the broad fields of related to criminology, such as sociology, law and certain areas of psychology.
Guns in American Society: an encyclopedia of history, politics, culture, and the law by
Thoroughly updated and greatly expanded from its original edition, this three-volume set is the go-to comprehensive resource on the legal, social, psychological, political, and public health aspects of guns in American life. * 450 alphabetically organized entries, including 100 new for this edition, covering key issues (suicide, video games and gun violence, firearm injury statistics) and events (workplace shootings, the Virginia Tech massacre) * 102 expert contributors from all academic fields involved in studying the causes and effects of gun violence * A chronology of pivotal moments and controversies in the history of firearm ownership and use in the United States * An exhaustive bibliography of print and online resources covering all aspects of the study of guns in the United States * Appendices on federal gun laws, state gun laws, and pro- and anti-gun-control organizations
The Search for the Causes of Crime by
For centuries scholars have studied the possible causes of criminal behavior in the hopes of shedding light on one of society's most persistent problems. This volume examines criminology from the perspective of those centuries of study. Written by a psychologist who has worked extensively with the criminal population, it focuses on the diverse theories that have been offered and the ways in which they contribute to the modern view of the criminal. The correlates of crime such as age, gender, race and IQ are discussed along with more random factors such as choice and chance. Theories of biology, psychology and sociology are all discussed. Criminological sources from the 18th century through the end of the 20th are cited and major developments noted. Finally, a brief preview of 21st century criminology considers how the lessons of the past might be adapted and drawn upon for future discoveries.
Sociology of Developmental Behavior by 
Understanding Victims and Restorative Justice by
Two of the principal and most influential developments within criminal justice policy - taking in a variety of common law jurisdictions during the past thirty years - have been the rise of the victim movement and the emergence of a distinctive set of practices that have become associated with the term restorative justice. Understanding Victims and Restorative Justice examines the origins of and the relationship between these two sets of developments, and seeks to assess their strengths and weaknesses in meeting the needs of victims as part of the overall response to crime. Written in a lively and accessible style this book is of benefit to students from a range of disciplines including criminology, sociology and the law. Also helpful to professionals, practitioners and policymakers working in voluntary agencies within the criminal justice system.
