LFU:online

Curr. 2021 § 5 (1) 15: The course is focusing on a seclected topic of sociology: the meaning of aesthetics for social and societal life.

The course deals with issues, sociological and interdisciplinary approaches that examine the relationship between law and society or the position of law in society.

A specific focus is given to the discussion of the relevance of law and rights in everyday life as well as the everyday life of law: What does law do with us, what do we do with and in law? What is legal consciousness? How does law determine the everyday lives of different groups? What role does law play in transforming or handling conflicts? How do individuals and different groups use or mobilize law and exercise rights? Questions regarding the extent to which law and legislation can lead to empowerment or emancipation despite their immanent moments of violence, arise. The interrelation of law and social change can be discussed. Dealing with law and society, also the question of the everyday life of law itself becomes relevant: How does law work? How does law create "facts" and "truths"? What role doe lifeworlds and identities play in law and legal procedures, and what are possible impacts?

The aim of the course is to use such questions to reflect together on law and rights in society. The interdependency of law and society shall be reflected from a sociological point of view.

The topics are to be explored by reading and working with theoretical texts, empirical studies of the research field, and by jointly analyzing materializations of law, as well as in direct contact with the legal field and its manifestations. In addition to thematic presentations, literature will be prepared individually and (working individually or in groups) discussed and critically reflected upon together. A direct exchange with the practice (e.g. guest lecture, excursion) is planned.

(a) Active participation and presence in class (presence and virtual).
(b) readings and individual preparation of literature (memos)
(c) Presentation and short written reflection on a specified topic or final paper.

e.g.:

Albiston, Chatherine R.; Edelman, Lauren B.; Milligan, Joy (2014): The Dispute Tree and the Legal Forest. In: The Annual Review of Law and Social Science 10 (1), S. 105–131.

Baer, Susanne (2020): Rechtssoziologie. Eine Einführung in die interdisziplinäre Rechtsforschung.

Boulanger, Christian; Rosenstock, Julika; Singelnstein, Tobias (Hg.): Interdisziplinäre Rechtsforschung – Eine Einführung.

Felstiner, William L. F.; Abel, Richard L.; Sarat, Austin (1980-1981): The Emergence and Transformation of Disputes: Naming, Blaming, Claiming… In: Law & Society Review, Special Issue on Dispute Processing and Civil Litigation, 15 (3/4). 631–654.

Ewick, Patricia; Silbey, S. Susan (1998): The Common Place of Law. Stories from Everyday Life.

Sarat, Austin (1990): „...Law is all over“. Power, Resistance and the Legal Consciousness of the Welfare Poor. In: Yale Journal of Law & the Humanities 2, 343-379.

Fuchs, Gesine (2021): Rechtsmobilisierung. Ein Systematisierungsversuch. In: Zeitschrift für Rechtssoziologie 41 (1), 21-43.

Hanak, Gerhard; Stehr, Johannes; Steinert, Heinz (1989): Ärgernisse und Lebenskatastrophen. Über den alltäglichen Umgang mit Kriminalität.
Hertogh, Marc (2018), Nobody's Law. Legal Consciousness and Legal Alienation in Everyday Life

Halliday, Simon/Schmidt, Patrick (2009): Conducting law and society research. Reflections on methods and practices.

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The reading of English-language texts is a prerequisite.