Concepts of Law

'This book contains a wonderful collection of essays on the meaning of law in a pluralist society. It is the first volume to bring together stimulating views of celebrated comparatists, legal theorists and social scientists on contemporary legal complexity. Indispensable reading for anyone interested in the state of contemporary law.' Jan Smits, Maastricht University, The Netherlands ’This work displays a remarkably diverse range of opinion in current legal thought and critical scholarship about the nature of law. Although debate on the subject is certainly not new, this book carries it much further into the richly complex world of normative pluralism.’ Tom Bennett, University of Cape Town, South Africa 'This edited collection confronts us with the choice between having to tame a tiger and thinking the tiger to be a cat, just a different one. When writing about "concepts of law", then one apparently must pay tribute and homage, but one must also be daring and fierce. The authors in this book do both, and do it very differently, from one to the other, and thus offer a refreshing look at some of the (really) old problems of law and some of the old, newer and emerging views that exist with regard to the definition, concept and nature of law and to its role and function in a society which itself doesn't stand still. Reading is highly recommended.' Peer Zumbansen, King's College London, UK ’This book is a significant contribution to comparative legal scholarship. It is a collection of sophisticated essays on the nature of law and legal pluralism from philosophical, sociological, historical and comparativist perspectives.’ Vivian Grosswald Curran, University of Pittsburgh, USA