This innovative book proposes new theories on how the legal system can be made more comprehensible, usable and empowering for people through the use of design principles. Utilising key case studies and providing real-world examples of legal innovation, the book moves beyond discussion to action. It offers a rich set of examples, demonstrating how various design methods, including information, service, product and policy design, can be leveraged within research and practice. Providing a forward-thinking outlook, this book presents an in-depth examination of how a human-centred, visual and participatory design approach can improve legal services and outcomes. Spanning numerous fields of legal practice, from education, housing and contracts to intellectual property, it highlights how visuals, information design and better communication can help prevent and solve legal problems. Chapters explore a new vision of lawyering and its potential to encompass a more creative and collaborative approach to legal practice. Legal Design will be of benefit to students and scholars seeking an up-to-date analysis of current trends related to legal design thinking and execution. It will also be a key resource for legal practitioners, policy-makers, government officials and business professionals looking to deepen their understanding of the field and improve their own design tools.

Contemplating the nature, practice and study of private law, this comprehensive book offers a detailed overview of private law's theoretical dimensions. It promotes a reflective attitude towards the topic, encouraging the reader to question how private law is practiced and studied, what this implies for their own engagement in the field and what kind of private lawyer they want to be. Marc Loth explores the central notion that private law is a multi-layered system which can only be fully apprehended in context. This thought-provoking book draws on examples from a range of legal systems to provide philosophical perspectives on the diverse dimensions of private law. Chapters examine the concept, history, language, values, methods and discipline of private law, as well as legal professionalism and the expertise of the private lawyer. Private Law in Context will be a key resource for scholars and postgraduate students interested in legal theory, legal philosophy, law and society and the nature of private law as a system and a practice.

This exciting textbook introduces the basic tenets and methodologies of empirical legal research. Explaining how to initiate and conduct empirical research projects, how to evaluate the methods used and how to analyze and engage with the results, Kees van den Bos provides a vibrant and reliable primer for students and practitioners looking to engage actively in legal research. Key features include: A straightforward, non-technical and accessible style to engage new researchers in empirical legal research A step-by-step guide to empirical research, leading students through establishing and building a research project, to interpreting and reporting on empirical data An exploration of an array of methodologies to gather empirical data, including interviews, surveys and experiments, providing plenty of avenues for research Exercises to allow students to put new skills into practice and suggested further reading to deepen students' understanding of new topics. Offering an enthusiastic introduction to a valuable subject, this is crucial reading for advanced law students hoping to pursue their own empirical legal research projects. Its insights into cutting-edge research methodologies will also be of benefit to students with a keen interest in the sociology of law, as well as socio-legal studies more widely.

This unique Research Handbook maps the historical, theoretical, and methodological concepts in sociology of law, exploring the rich and complex nature of this area of research. It argues that sociology of law flourishes due to its strong capacity for interdisciplinary engagement and links to other scientific concepts, methodologies and research fields. Composed as a set of enquiries into the current state of sociology of law, expert contributions cover diverse themes such as inequality and discrimination, crime and punishment, and social justice. Reflecting on recent publications in law and society, socio-legal studies and interdisciplinary law research, the Research Handbook revisits the specific role of sociology of law, its disciplinary boundaries and its relationship to both legal and social sciences. The comprehensive nature of the Research Handbook on the Sociology of Law will appeal to law and social justice practitioners and scholars, as well as students in legal and social science fields who are looking to understand current trends and future research in the discipline.

This timely book unpacks the idea of 'disaster' from a variety of approaches, broadening understanding and improving the usability of this complex and often contested concept. Including multidisciplinary perspectives from leading and emerging scholars, it offers reflections on how the concept of disaster has been shaped by and within various fields of research, providing complementary and thought-provoking comparisons across many domains. Functioning as an important point of reference between and across disciplines, chapters explore the forces and building blocks of disaster and how these are interpreted, providing opportunities for dialogue between multiple points of view. The book concludes with a broader, integrated discussion of the aspects of disaster research covered, putting forward suggestions for further cooperation between disciplines and a future research agenda. Defining Disaster will be a fascinating read for disaster researchers in disciplines including law, sociology, and social and public policy who wish to improve their understanding of how their work maps onto the wider field. It will also be beneficial for policy makers and practitioners in this area looking for a rounded view of contemporary cross-disciplinary research on the subject.

New and emerging technologies are reshaping justice systems and transforming the role of judges. The impacts vary according to how structural reforms take place and how courts adapt case management processes, online dispute resolution systems and justice apps. Significant shifts are also occurring with the development of more sophisticated forms of Artificial Intelligence that can support judicial work or even replace judges. These developments, together with shifts towards online court processes are explored in Judges, Technology and Artificial Intelligence. By considering how different jurisdictions are approaching current and future technological shifts and in particular by focusing on the different approaches in the US, UK, Australia and China and elsewhere, the author draws a rich comparative exploration of justice technology trends. Judicial commentary is considered as well as the growing scholarly discourse about these trends. Ethical and user centred design options are examined in the context of how responsive judges engage with supportive, replacement and disruptive technologies in courts. This book explores current issues regarding the responsiveness of the justice system in the pandemic era. In addition, how technology can respond and shift justice processes is a growing field of research, for judges, scholars, students and justice commentators. It provides a much-needed resource on an increasingly important topic.

This thought-provoking book highlights the increasing recognition of the prevalence of neurodisability within criminal justice systems, discussing conditions including intellectual, cognitive and behavioural impairments, fetal alcohol spectrum disorders and traumatic and acquired brain injury. International scholars and practitioners demonstrate the extent and complexity of the neurodisability experience and present practical solutions for criminal justice reform. Examining the growing body of evidence which illustrates the significant over-representation of neurodisability amongst prison and juvenile justice populations, this critical book explores the challenges faced by people with a neurodisability who come into contact with the justice system. These challenges include: difficulty understanding interactions with police, navigating court processes, comprehending sentencing orders, and coping with prison and post-release life, which can lead to repeat victimisation and criminalisation. Overall, this book establishes that justice systems are often unable to meet the specific needs of people with a neurodisability and that there is a significant lack of appropriate support within the community aimed at prevention and diversion. Providing broad interdisciplinary insights, this timely book will prove a vital resource for scholars and students of criminal law, law and society, criminology, neuroscience and social work. It will also be of value to legal practitioners, law enforcement, prison employees and welfare professionals engaged with individuals with a neurodisability.

This book studies three interrelated frontiers in civil justice from European and national perspectives, combining theory with policy and insights from practice: the interplay between private and public justice, the digitization of justice, and litigation funding. These current topics are viewed against the backdrop of the requirements of effective access to justice and the overall goal of establishing a sustainable civil justice system in Europe. With perspectives from an impressive selection of contributors the book takes on a pan-European perspective and zooms in on several European jurisdictions, thereby providing a holistic exploration of current civil justice debates and frontiers. It includes chapters dedicated to the interaction between public and private justice, the digitisation of both private dispute resolution and court litigation, including the rapid development and use of advanced forms of Artificial Intelligence, and the funding of justice, especially collective actions and settlements by means of private funding and common funds. Addressing these key issues in the current European debate on civil justice, this book will be an ideal read for academics and policy makers interested in the most recent frontier developments and innovations. Legal practitioners will also benefit from the insight into complex topics such as litigation funding, legal conflicts in a digital age, and resolving disputes in a private setting.

Elgar Advanced Introductions are stimulating and thoughtful introductions to major fields in the social sciences, business and law, expertly written by the world's leading scholars. Designed to be accessible yet rigorous, they offer concise and lucid surveys of the substantive and policy issues associated with discrete subject areas. Leading scholar Tom R. Tyler provides a timely and engaging introduction to the field of law and psychology. This Advanced Introduction outlines the main areas of research, their relevance to law and the way that psychological findings have shaped - or failed to shape - the corresponding areas of law. Key features include: broad coverage of the key topics in the field accessible, non-technical presentation of research findings focus on the relevance of psychological theories to topics in law emphasis on the institutional realities within which law functions discussion of the problems of bringing research findings into the legal system. Presenting an informative overview of this rapidly developing area, the Advanced Introduction to Law and Psychology will be a key resource for students and scholars of law, psychology and the social sciences. It will also be of benefit to psychologists and legal practitioners.

Elgar Advanced Introductions are stimulating and thoughtful introductions to major fields in the social sciences, business and law, expertly written by the world's leading scholars. Designed to be accessible yet rigorous, they offer concise and lucid surveys of the substantive and policy issues associated with discrete subject areas. Herbert Kritzer presents a clear introduction to the history, methods and substance of empirical legal research (ELR). Quantitative methods dominate in empirical legal research, but an important segment of the field draws on qualitative methods, such as semi-structured interviews and observation. In this book both methodologies are explored alongside systematic data analysis. Offering an overview of the broad ELR literature, the institutions of the law, the central actors of the law, and the subjects of the law are each addressed in this highly readable account that will be essential reading for legal researchers. Key features include: Summaries of the history of empirical legal research A clear introduction to methods in empirical legal research Coverage of both quantitative and qualitative methods and research A readable guide to the impact and rationale of different methodologies. This relatively short book provides an invaluable quick introduction for students, scholars, legal professionals and policy professionals.

This cutting-edge book facilitates debate amongst scholars in law, humanities and social sciences, where comparative methodology is far less well anchored in most areas compared to other research methods. It posits that these are disciplines in which comparative research is not simply a bonus, but is of the essence. Featuring discussions and reflections from scholars experienced in conducting comparative research, this book considers the ways in which comparative legal research can gain important comparative, qualitative and interpretive insights from the humanities and from the social sciences. Chapters examine contrasting comparative legal versus historical approaches, comparative sociology, comparative religion, comparative (legal) anthropology, comparative philosophy, comparative economics and more. Additionally, the book considers the challenges that lie ahead, not just for comparative legal research, but for comparative disciplines as a whole. Of the many challenges that are identified and discussed, the book concludes that comparative research can especially be further developed when it is also understood as a research design, instead of just a method. Inspiring and progressive, this book will be a crucial reference point for both research students and experienced researchers who are embarking on comparative research within the disciplines of law, humanities and social sciences.

Elgar Advanced Introductions are stimulating and thoughtful introductions to major fields in the social sciences, business and law, expertly written by the world's leading scholars. Designed to be accessible yet rigorous, they offer concise and lucid surveys of the substantive and policy issues associated with discrete subject areas. Sabino Cassese presents an incisive introduction to the essential principles of global law, exploring the central theories of globalization through an analysis of the main developments in this area. The Advanced Introduction concludes that despite the ongoing dialectic between national governments and international institutions, globalization and states are progressing in parallel, while civil societies are increasingly involved in the machinery of globalization. Key features include: Exploration of the key characteristics of the global legal space Discussion of the tensions between the state and global actors Analysis of the dialogue between civil societies and world regulators An examination of administrative forms of protection and their implementation. This Advanced Introduction will be a valuable guide for scholars and advanced students of global and transnational law. Examining both specific cases and relevant institutions and procedures, it will also be beneficial for legal practitioners.

Elgar Advanced Introductions are stimulating and thoughtful introductions to major fields in the social sciences, business and law, expertly written by the world's leading scholars. Designed to be accessible yet rigorous, they offer concise and lucid surveys of the substantive and policy issues associated with discrete subject areas. Peter Goodrich presents a unique introduction to the concept of jurisliterature. Highlighting how lawyers have been extraordinarily productive of literary, artistic and political works, Goodrich explores the diversity and imagination of the law and literature tradition. Jurisliterature, he argues, is the source of legal invention and the sign of novelty in judgments. Key features include: a literary approach to viewing law exploration of the visual culture of the law engagement with the affective and performative practices of jurisliterature analysis of the legal style and traditional literary practices of lawyers and judges from an historical perspective. This Advanced Introduction will be a useful and concise guide for scholars and students of law and literature. It will also be beneficial for students and teachers of courses on jurisprudence, law and the humanities and socio-legal studies.

This Research Handbook offers unparalleled insights into the large-scale resurgence of interest in Marx and Marxism in recent years, with contributions devoted specifically to Marxist critiques of law, rights, and the state. The Research Handbook brings together thirty-three scholars of Marx, Marxism, and law from around the world to offer theoretically informed introductions to the Marxist tradition of social critique, contemporary Marxist analyses of law and rights, and future orientations of Marxist legal analysis. Chapters testify to the strength of Marxist critical tools for understanding the role of law, rights, and the state in capitalist societies. Exploring Marxist critique across an extraordinarily wide range of scholarly disciplines, this Research Handbook is a must-read for scholars of law, politics, sociology, philosophy, and political economy who are interested in Marxism. Graduate and advanced undergraduate students in these and related disciplines will also benefit from the Research Handbook.

This ground-breaking and timely book explores how big data, artificial intelligence and algorithms are creating new types of agency, and the impact that this is having on our lives and the rule of law. Addressing the issues in a thoughtful, cross-disciplinary manner, the authors examine the ways in which data-driven agency is transforming democratic practices and the meaning of individual choice. Leading scholars in law, philosophy, computer science and politics analyse the latest innovations in data science and machine learning, assessing the actual and potential implications of these technologies. They investigate how this affects our understanding of such concepts as agency, epistemology, justice, transparency and democracy, and advocate a precautionary approach that takes the effects of data-driven agency seriously without taking it for granted. Scholars and students of law, ethics and philosophy, in particular legal, political and democratic theory, will find this book a compelling and invaluable read, as will computer scientists interested in the implications of their own work. It will also prove insightful for academics and activists working on privacy, fairness and anti-discrimination. Contributors include: J.E. Cohen, G. de Vries, S. Delacroix, P. Dumouchel, C. Ess, M. Garnett, E.H. Gerding, R. Gomer, C. Graber, M. Hildebrandt, C. Maple, K. O'Hara, P. Ohm, m.c. schraefel, D. Stevens, N. van Dijk, M. Veale

This innovative Handbook provides an expansive interrogation of the spaces and places of law, exploring how we engage relationally in a material world, within which we are inter-dependent and reliant, and governed by laws in a dynamic process. It advances novel insights into the numerous intersections of space, place and law in our lives. International contributors offer a range of activity-orientated analyses, focusing on methodology, embodied experience, legal pluralism, conflict and resistance, and non-human and place agency. The Handbook examines a number of cross-cutting themes including social inequality, environmental justice, sustainability, urban development, Indigenous legal systems, the effects of colonialism and property law. Representing a diversity of locales from all around the world, the chapters encompass both urban and rural, terrestrial and marine areas, agential and storied spaces, and fictional as well as ''real'' places. Taking a multidisciplinary approach that incorporates law, human and legal geography, planning, sociology, political ecology, anthropology, and beyond, this comprehensive Handbook will be critical reading for scholars and students of these and cognate areas. Its discussion of empirical examples will also be beneficial for practitioners and policymakers interested in these fields.

This illuminating Research Handbook analyses the role that emotions play, and ought to play, in legal reasoning and practice, rejecting the simplistic distinction between reason and emotion. International expert contributors take multidisciplinary approaches, drawing on neuroscience, philosophy, literary theory, psychology, history, and sociology to examine the role of a wide range of emotions across a variety of legal contexts. Chapters consider how the rich tapestry of human emotion impacts legal actors, influences legal doctrine, and shapes the dynamics of legal institutions. Moving beyond legal contexts traditionally considered rife with emotion such as the criminal law and jury trials, the Handbook explores how emotion relates to contracts, property, bankruptcy, international law, and truth and reconciliation commissions. It also reflects on the importance of research methodologies, theories, and techniques for assessing the role of emotion in the legal arena. Surveying the depth and complexity of law and emotion across a panoply of legal actions, institutional contexts, and legal doctrines, this Handbook will be critical reading for academics and students of legal theory and legal philosophy. Its detailed examination of emotions in the practice of private, public, international, and criminal law will also be beneficial for legal officials and practitioners.

From the Number One bestselling author, a delicious memoir full of hilarious, personal and surprising stories from their working life in the law. * The Sunday Times Bestseller * * A BBC Radio 4 Book of the Week* 'The SB is a gifted writer. Words tumble out with extraordinary fluency . . . entertaining and instructive' - The Times __________ Just how do you become a barrister? Why do only 1 per cent of those who study law succeed in joining this mysteriously opaque profession? And why might a practising barrister come to feel the need to reveal the lies, secrets, failures and crises at the heart of this world of wigs and gowns? Nothing But The Truth is The Secret Barrister's bestselling memoir. It charts an outsider's progress down the winding path towards practising at the Bar, taking in the sometimes absurd traditions of the Inns of Court, where every meal mandates a glass of port and a toast to the monarch, to the Hunger Games-style contest for pupillage, through the endlessly frustrating experience of being a junior barrister - as a creaking, ailing justice system begins to convince them that something has to change . . . Full of hilarious, shocking and surprising stories, Nothing But The Truth tracks the Secret Barrister's transformation from hang 'em and flog 'em, austerity-supporting twenty-something to campaigning, bestselling, reforming author whose writing in defence of the law is celebrated around the globe. Asking questions about what we understand by justice and what it takes to change our minds, it also reveals the darker side of working in criminal law and how the things our justice system gets wrong are not the things most people expect. __________ 'With compassion, wit and intelligence, The Secret Barrister shows why is it that any of us plunge into the harrowing depths of criminal law' - TLS 'Masterful, compassionate and hilarious' - Adam Rutherford 'The Zorro of the criminal bar' - The Times

The proliferation of virtual and augmented reality technologies into society raise significant questions for judges, legal institutions, and policy makers. For example, when should activities that occur in virtual worlds, or virtual images that are projected into real space (that is, augmented reality), count as protected First Amendment 'speech'? When should they instead count as a nuisance or trespass? Under what circumstances would the copying of virtual images infringe intellectual property laws, or the output of intelligent virtual avatars be patentable inventions or works of authorship eligible for copyright? And when should a person (or computer) face legal consequences for allegedly harmful virtual acts? The Research Handbook on the Law of Virtual and Augmented Reality addresses these questions and others, drawing upon free speech doctrine, criminal law, the law of data protection and privacy, and of jurisdiction, as well as upon potential legal rights for increasingly intelligent virtual avatars in VR worlds. The Handbook offers a comprehensive look at challenges to various legal doctrines raised by the emergence - and increasing use of - virtual and augmented reality worlds, and at how existing law in the USA, Europe, and other jurisdictions might apply to these emerging technologies, or evolve to address them. It also considers what legal questions about virtual and augmented reality are likely to be important, not just for judges and legal scholars, but also for the established businesses and start-ups that wish to make use of, and help shape, these important new technologies. This comprehensive Research Handbook will be an invaluable reference to those looking to keep pace with the dynamic field of virtual and augmented reality, including students and researchers studying intellectual property law as well as legal practitioners, computer scientists, engineers, game designers, and business owners. Contributors include: W. Barfield, P.S. Berman, M.J. Blitz, S.J. Blodgett-Ford, J. Danaher, W. Erlank, J.A.T. Fairfield, J. Garon, G. Hallevy, B. Lewis, H.Y.F. Lim, C. Nwaneri, S.R. Peppet, M. Risch, A.L. Rossow, J. Russo, M. Supponen, A.M. Underhill, B.D. Wassom, A. Williams, G. Yadin

The Research Handbook on International Abortion Law provides an in-depth, multidisciplinary study of abortion law around the world, presenting a snapshot of global policies during a time of radical change. With leading scholars from every continent, Mary Ziegler illuminates key forces that shaped the past and will influence an unpredictable future. In addition to basic, fundamental concepts, this Research Handbook offers valuable insight into new developments in law and medical practice, from medication abortion to the rise of illiberal democracy, and explores the evolution of social movements for and against illegal abortion in a wide variety of national contexts. This is a crucial reference for students, scholars, professors, and policymakers interested in the complexities of abortion law and politics, and the influences that are crossing borders and shaping the present moment.

The original contributions in this Handbook provide an introduction to the application of Austrian economics to law. The book begins with chapters on the methodology of law and economics before moving on to chapters which discuss key concepts in Austrian economics such as; dynamic competitive processes, spontaneous order, subjective value, entrepreneurship, and the limited nature of individual knowledge - as they relate to topics in evolutionary law and basic law. This book presents contributions from both economists and legal scholars on topics ranging from methodology of analysis and the evolution of contemporary legal practice, to the teachings of basic law. Taken as a whole, this Handbook provides a strong overview of contemporary research in the Austrian school of law and economics. It is an approach that reflects both the examination of how alternative legal arrangements impact economic performance, and how to use the tools of basic economic reasoning to study the operation of legal rules. Scholars working in the fields of law, jurisprudence, economics, and public policy will find this an important resource on the cutting edge of Austrian political economy in application to law and economics. Contributors include: B.L. Benson, P.J. Boettke, D.J. Boudreaux, H.N. Butler, E.R. Claeys, C.J. Coyne, M. DeBow, M.T. Henderson, S. Horwitz, P.G. Klein, M. Krause, T.A. Lambert, P.T. Leeson, J. Parker, G.J. Postema, S. Rajagopalan, D. Skarbek, E.P. Stringham, R.E. Wagner, T.J. Zywicki

'Citizen sensing', the practice in which grassroots actors use sensor technology for environmental monitoring, is increasingly entering the debate around environmental risk governance. This groundbreaking book explores the potential for citizen sensing to concretely influence the governance of environmental risks to public health by shaping policy responses implemented by competent institutions. Taking a unique perspective that combines the elements of risk, technology, the grassroots-drive and distrust, Anna Berti Suman analyses which factors contribute to the policy uptake of community-led citizen sensing. She frames the study through the voices of the citizen sensing participants interviewed in her fieldwork, incorporating both theoretical reflections and ethnography into a mixed-methods approach. The book offers novel insights into the advantages and drawbacks of the reliance on citizen sensing by institutional actors and highlights the need for further research in this area. Academics working in environmental law and risk governance will find the research and findings contained in this book both interesting and timely. It will also be of practical use to policy-makers and practitioners, as well as citizen sensing communities that wish to make their monitoring practices more influential.

In 1788 John Adams created a sublime ambition for all nations - 'a government of laws and not of men'. In the intervening years we have come to learn that legislation itself works through the interpretations of the many men and women who work on the inside and the outside of the law. Effective regulation thus depends not only on scrupulous legal analysis, with its appeal to precedent, conceptual clarity and argumentation, but also on sound empirical research, which often reveals diversity in implementation, enforcement and observance of the law in practice. In this outstanding, worldly-wise book Leeuw and Schmeets demonstrate how to bridge the gap between the letter and the delivery of the law. It is packed with examples, cases and illustrations that will have international appeal. I recommend it to students and practitioners engaged across all domains of legislation and regulation.' - Ray Pawson, University of Leeds, UK Empirical Legal Research describes how to investigate the roles of legislation, regulation, legal policies and other legal arrangements at play in society. It is invaluable as a guide to legal scholars, practitioners and students on how to do empirical legal research, covering history, methods, evidence, growth of knowledge and links with normativity. This multidisciplinary approach combines insights and approaches from different social sciences, evaluation studies, Big Data analytics and empirically informed ethics. The authors present an overview of the roots of this blossoming interdisciplinary domain, going back to legal realism, the fields of law, economics and the social sciences, and also to civilology and evaluation studies. The book addresses not only data analysis and statistics, but also how to formulate adequate research problems, to use (and test) different types of theories (explanatory and intervention theories) and to apply new forms of literature research to the field of law such as the systematic, rapid and realist reviews and synthesis studies. The choice and architecture of research designs, the collection of data, including Big Data, and how to analyze and visualize data are also covered. The book discusses the tensions between the normative character of law and legal issues and the descriptive and causal character of empirical legal research, and suggests ways to help handle this seeming disconnect. This comprehensive guide is vital reading for law practitioners as well as for students and researchers dealing with regulation, legislation and other legal arrangements.

This exciting textbook introduces the basic tenets and methodologies of empirical legal research. Explaining how to initiate and conduct empirical research projects, how to evaluate the methods used and how to analyze and engage with the results, Kees van den Bos provides a vibrant and reliable primer for students and practitioners looking to engage actively in legal research. Key features include: A straightforward, non-technical and accessible style to engage new researchers in empirical legal research A step-by-step guide to empirical research, leading students through establishing and building a research project, to interpreting and reporting on empirical data An exploration of an array of methodologies to gather empirical data, including interviews, surveys and experiments, providing plenty of avenues for research Exercises to allow students to put new skills into practice and suggested further reading to deepen students' understanding of new topics. Offering an enthusiastic introduction to a valuable subject, this is crucial reading for advanced law students hoping to pursue their own empirical legal research projects. Its insights into cutting-edge research methodologies will also be of benefit to students with a keen interest in the sociology of law, as well as socio-legal studies more widely.

This cutting-edge Research Handbook, at the intersection of comparative law and anthropology, explores mutually enriching insights and outlooks. The 20 contributors, including several of the most eminent scholars, as well as new voices, offer diverse expertise, national backgrounds and professional experience. Their overall approach is ''ground up'' without regard to unified paradigms of research or objects of study. Through a pluralistic definition of law and multidisciplinary approaches, Comparative Law and Anthropology significantly advances both theory and practice. The Research Handbook's expansive concept of comparative law blends a traditional geographical orientation with historical and jurisprudential dimensions within a broad range of contexts of anthropological inquiry, from indigenous communities, to law schools and transitional societies. This comprehensive and original collection of diverse writings about anthropology and the law around the world offers an inspiring but realistic source for legal scholars, anthropologists and policy-makers. Contributors include: U. Acharya, C. Bell, J. Blake, S. Brink, E. Darian-Smith, R. Francaviglia, M. Lazarus-Black, P. McHugh, S.F. Moore, E. Moustaira, L. Nader, J. Nafziger, M. Novakovic, R. Price, O. Ruppel, J.A. Sanchez, W. Shipley, R. Tejani, A. Telesetsky, K. Thomas