Blackwell Reference Online

Extract

The invitation to put together a one volume “companion” to a field as diverse as “law and society” was, as one could readily imagine, both exciting and daunting. Taking up this invitation provided a wonderful opportunity to survey the field, and to renew my acquaintance with the range of work being done in it and the wonderful scholars doing that work. Editing this volume was a re-education in itself. But the very range and diversity of scholarship posed a substantial challenge. What to include? What not to include? How to represent the breadth of theories, methods, and perspectives found in the law and society community? These were formidable challenges. Despite the hard choices, inevitable omissions, and shades of emphasis, I am satisfied that The Blackwell Companion to Law and Society does a reasonable job in providing a guide to the field. Indeed the more than 30 essays in this volume may well constitute the best introduction to the field currently available. While working from a common template, all the authors interpreted their directions in their own ways. Readers will recognize a common format while also appreciating the various ways that format has been adapted. Taken together the essays collected here trace the evolution and history of the field, chart the present state of knowledge produced in law and society, and point to fruitful directions for further inquiry. As ... log in or subscribe to read full text