An Introduction to Law and Regulation

This book critically discusses key concepts, theories, methods, and instruments of regulation through selected interdisciplinary texts, materials, and accessible commentary.

Regulation permeates all aspects of life, from social media, transport, employment to food safety. But what is regulation? And why do we need it? This book demystifies regulation for students, regulators, practitioners, and scholars by addressing the 'what,' 'why,' 'whether,' and 'how' of regulation in a scholarly yet accessible manner.Contemporary life relies on regulation. The quality and safety of the water we drink, the food we eat, and the social media applications we use are all governed by multiple regulatory regimes. Although rooted in law, regulation is a multidisciplinary endeavour. Debates about regulation, particularly in the face of rapid change and the emergence of new 'risks', are now commonplace. Despite extensive scholarship, regulation is often poorly understood, even by policy-makers, with unintended and even disastrous consequences. This book offers a critical introduction to core theories, concepts, methods, tools, and techniques of regulation, including regulatory policy, instruments, enforcement, compliance, accountability and legitimacy. Weaving extracts from texts drawn from many disciplines with accessible commentary, it introduces this important field to students, scholars, and practitioners in a scholarly yet accessible and engaging manner with discussion questions and additional readings for those seeking to deepen their knowledge.