LFU:online

Conveying in-depth knowledge and theoretically informed analytical skills regarding the relationship between law and society, the functions and impacts of the legal system and legal regulations on society, groups, and individuals.

The course engages with law as a social phenomenon and connects theoretical or conceptual approaches with empirical perspectives of the research field to jointly discuss the relationship between society and law and the role of law and rights in society. By referring to classical and current approaches, a sociological exploration of the meanings, functions, and possible (instrumental as well as constitutive) effects of living law or law in action takes place. A focus of the course lies on the relationship between law and everyday life: On the one hand, questions arise regarding the (in)visibility of law in everyday life and in concrete lifeworlds, legal and rights consciousness, the role of law in conflict resolution and social transformations, or how law, despite its inherent moments of violence, can lead to empowerment or emancipation. On the other hand, the everydayness of law becomes relevant, i.e., how are roles defined, for example, in court? What role does justice play in procedures? In which processes are “facts and truths” produced and decisions made? 

Through reading, discussions, and engagement with practice (e.g., excursions, lectures, materializations of law, small empirical projects), we aim to reflect together on the role of law and rights in society and to deepen our sociological understanding of the mutual conditions of law and society.

(a) Participation and regular active involvement (both in-person and virtually)
(b) Reading and individual processing of the (primarily English-language) literature (biweekly submissions) and preparation of small assignments during the semester, including reading preparation for the first session (assignment will be sent out in time)
(c) Presentation or written elaboration of an individual topic (theoretical or empirical)

Detailed literature will be announced in the first session!

Přibáň, Jiří (Hg.) (2020): Research handbook on the sociology of law. Cheltenham, UK, Northampton, MA, USA: Edward Elgar Publishing. 
Baer, Susanne (2023): Rechtssoziologie. Eine Einführung in die interdisziplinäre Rechtsforschung. 5. Auflage. Baden-Baden: Nomos.
Sarat, Austin (Hg.) (2007): The Blackwell companion to law and society. Malden, Mass. u.a.: Blackwell Publishing.
Valverde, Mariana; Clarke, Kamari Maxine; Darian-Smith, Eve; Kotiswaran, Prabha (Hg.) (2021): The Routledge handbook of law and society. First published. London, New York, NY: Routledge.
Sarat, Austin; Ewick, Patricia (Hg.) (2015): The Handbook of Law and Society. Somerset: Wiley Blackwell.

Additionally, an excursion will take place on Tuesday morning (April 14th) – the time will be compensated accordingly.