Routledge Handbook Of Socio-legal Theory And Methods (routledge Handbooks)

Drawing on a range of approaches from the social sciences and humanities, this handbook explores theoretical and empirical perspectives that address the articulation of law in society, and the social character of the rule of law. The vast field of socio-legal studies provides multiple lenses through which law can be considered. Rather than seeking to define the field of socio-legal studies, this book takes up the experiences of researchers within the field. First-hand accounts of socio-legal research projects allow the reader to engage with diverse theoretical and methodological approaches within this fluid interdisciplinary area. The book provides a rich resource for those interested in deepening their understanding of the variety of theories and methods available when law is studied in its broadest social context, as well as setting those within the history of the socio-legal movement. The chapters consider multiple disciplinary lenses – including feminism, anthropology and sociology – as well as a variety of methodologies, including: narrative, visual and spatial, psychological, economic and epidemiological approaches. Moreover, these are applied in a range of substantive contexts such as online hate speech, environmental law, biotechnology, research in post-conflict situations, race and LGBT+ lawyers. The handbook brings together younger contributors and some of the best-known names in the socio-legal field. It offers a fresh perspective on the past, present and future of sociolegal studies that will appeal to students and scholars with relevant interests in a range of subjects, including law, sociology and politics. Contents 6 List of contributors 9 PART I: Approaching socio-legal studies 16 1 Socio-legal theory and methods: introduction • Naomi Creutzfeldt, Marc Mason and Kirsten McConnachie 18 2 Traditions of studying the social and the legal: a short introduction to the institutional and intellectual development of socio-legal studies • Naomi Creutzfeldt 24 3 Uses and abuses of socio-legal studies • Carrie Menkel-Meadow 50 4 The why and how to of conducting a socio-legal empirical research project • Lisa Webley 73 5 Writing beyond distinctions • Andreas Philippopoulos-Mihalopoulos 85 6 Doing critical-socio-legal theory • Margaret Davies 98 7 ‘Indefensible and irresponsible’: interdisciplinarity, truth and #reviewer2 • Emilie Cloatre and Dave Cowan 112 8 Ethical awareness and socio-legal research in the UK • Victoria Brooks 125 9 On objectivity and staying ‘native’: researching LGBTQI+ lawyers as a queer lawyer • Marc Mason 138 10 The politics of research impact: a Scottish case study • Kath Murray 151 PART II: Disciplinary and theoretical relationships 162 11 Law and sociology • Sharyn Roach Anleu and Kathy Mack 164 12 Law and social psychology methods • Rebecca Hollander-Blumoff 177 13 Socio-legal studies and economics • Richard Craven 194 14 Law and anthropology • Kirsten McConnachie 208 15 Doing ‘law in/and development’: theoretical, methodological and ethical reflections • Jennifer Lander 221 16 Qualitative data and the challenges of interpretation in transitional justice research • Briony Jones 235 17 Reading law spatially • Antonia Layard 247 18 Legal concepts in flux: the social construction of legal meaning • Maayan Ravid and Alice Schneider 259 19 Feminist approaches to socio-legal studies • Rosemary Hunter 275 20 Intersectionality as theory and method: human rights adjudication by the European Court of Human Rights • Charlotte Helen Skeet 288 PART III: Methodological choices 302 21 Encountering the archive: researching race, racialisation and the death penalty in England and Wales, 1900–65 • Lizzie Seal and Alexa Neale 304 22 Law, the environment and narrative storytelling • Angus Nurse 316 23 Legal aesthetics as visual method • Thomas Giddens 330 24 A content analysis of judicial decision-making • Richard Kirkham and Elizabeth A. O’Loughlin 344 25 Intellectual property, biotechnology and process tracing: applying political research methods to legal study • Benjamin Farrand 357 26 Experiments in criminal justice contexts • Julia Yesberg and Ben Bradford 370 27 Legal epidemiology, evidence-informed law and administrative data: new frontiers in the study of family justice • Matthew A. Jay 384 28 Socio-legal approaches to online hate speech • Nicole Stremlau and Iginio Gagliardone 400 Index 414 "Drawing on a range of approaches from the social sciences and humanities, this handbook explores theoretical and empirical perspectives that address the articulation of law in society, and the social character of the rule of law. The vast field of socio-legal studies provides multiple lenses through which law can be considered. Rather than seeking to define the field of socio-legal studies, this book takes up the experiences of researchers within the field. First-hand accounts of socio-legal research projects allow the reader to engage with diverse theoretical and methodological approaches within this fluid interdisciplinary area. The book provides a rich resource for those interested in deepening their understanding of the variety of theories and methods available when law is studied in its broadest social context, as well as setting those within the history of the socio-legal movement. The chapters consider multiple disciplinary lenses - including feminism, anthropology and sociology - as well as a variety of methodologies, including: narrative, visual and spatial, psychological, economic and epidemiological approaches. Moreover, these are applied in a range of substantive contexts such as online hate speech, environmental law, biotechnology, research in post-conflict situations, race and LGBT+ lawyers."-- Back cover