Sociology of Law: A Reader offers students a compelling and comprehensive exploration of the intricate relationship between law and society. This carefully curated collection of readings examines law as both a dependent and independent variable influenced by social conditions. It provides valuable insights into the social roots and consequences of legal systems, highlighting how law interacts with broader societal structures.
The book begins with a chapter dedicated to lawmaking, featuring articles that address critical issues such as gender rights, judicial elections, the morality of law, and executive orders. Subsequent chapters delve into law enforcement, the role of law as a means of conflict resolution, and its function as a tool for social change. Throughout, students engage with contemporary topics including gender, race, and legal inequality, with readings on the reporting of sexual assault and harassment, as well as the relationship between people of color and sentencing bias.
The closing chapter focuses on the legal profession itself, offering discussions on the role and limitations of law in combating racial bias and discrimination. It includes critical perspectives on the judiciary, along with reflections from a female judge, providing a well-rounded view of the challenges and dynamics within the legal field.
Filling a notable gap in current literature within the discipline, Sociology of Law is an ideal resource for courses in sociology and the sociology of law.
Author Gloria T. Lessan is a faculty member in the Department of Sociology at Florida State University. She holds a Ph.D. in sociology from Tulane University of Louisiana and an M.A. in sociology from the University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee. Dr. Lessan's scholarship has been featured in reputable publications such as Social Forces, Psychological Reports, Social Science and Medicine, Revista de Ciencias Sociales, and Crime, Law and Social Change. She also holds a Global Partner Certificate from Florida State University.