Invitation to Law and Society: An Introduction to the Study of Real Law

by Kitty Calavita

Law and Society is a rapidly-growing interdisciplinary field that turns on its head the conventional, idealized view of the “Law” as a magisterial abstraction. Kitty Calavita’s Invitation to Law and Society brilliantly brings to life the ways in which law shapes and manifests itself in the institutions and interactions of human society, while inviting the reader into conversations that introduce the field’s dominant themes and most lively disagreements. 

 

Deftly interweaving scholarship with familiar personal examples, Calavita shows how scholars in the discipline are collectively engaged in a subversive exposé of law’s public mythology. While surveying prominent issues and distinctive approaches to the use of the law in everyday life, as well as its potential as a tool for social change, this volume provides a view of law that is more real but just as compelling as its mythic counterpart. In a field of inquiry that has long lacked a sophisticated yet accessible introduction to its ways of thinking, Invitation to Law and Society will serve as an engaging and indispensible guide.

 

Genres: Law, Sociology, School, Nonfiction, Read For School, Academic

192 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 2010

About the author

Kitty Calavita is Professor of Criminology, Law and Society at the University of California, Irvine. She is currently studying the implementation of immigration policy in Italy and Spain. Much of her work examines the interplay of political, ideological, and economic factors in the implementation of immigration law and in the treatment of white-collar crime, and in both cases it explores what these dynamics can tell us about relations of power and state processes. Her recent article, "The Paradoxes of Race, Class, Identity, and 'Passing:' Enforcing the Chinese Exclusion Acts, 1882-1910," Law and Social Inquiry (2000), links the everyday dilemmas of frontline immigration inspectors to contradictory assumptions about the nature of race, class, and identity. Her book, Immigrants at the Margins: Law, Race, and Exclusion in Southern Europe, published by Cambridge University Press, will be available in January, 2005.

Reviews

[AJ · Rating 2 out of 5]

For class. Pretty boring tbh

[Emily Kroening · Rating 1 out of 5]

If you're reading this book, it was most likely assigned to you in a law class of some sort. I am telling you now, the readings do not need to be in-depth. I found the majority of these chapters to be stories and real-life examples of topics mentioned. There was little actual theory or teaching from the author themselves, more repeating what other situations implied. I found myself able to skim through chapters very quickly, take very few notes and still fully understand the concepts required. I probably resent this more than I should because it was for a university class, but I resent it nonetheless.

[Dami · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this book for my Introduction to Law and Society class, good information more that talks about, and me planning to go to law school.

[R · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant primer.

[Diana Tsui · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good introductory text for people who are interested in learning about law in everyday life!

[Hamad Abdulsamad · Rating 2 out of 5]

Too American for me...

[Ciara McCluskey · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.4

[C · Rating 1 out of 5]

Has more in common with self-help-books than actual informative books. Calavita constantly uses personal and historical anecdotes to try to shock and grab the reader's attention and to subconsciously try to influence the reader's opinion on certain societal issues, but she doesn't actually offer substantial evidence to support her argument, nor does she shine light on or refute possible counter arguments.

[Vadim · Rating 1 out of 5]

Написанное простым языком, но плохо организованное введение в социологию права. Из него можно понять основные темы для разговора в этой сфере ("закон в жизни отличается от закона в книгах", "искажения в правоприменении являются правилом и сами подчиняются определенным правилам" и т.д.), но для присоединения к этому разговору следует поискать более гостеприимных хозяев.

[Esma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pretty neat introduction to the interdisciplinary field, its prominent approaches to the study of law. Main themes in the field are 1) the links between types of law and types of political, economic and cultural orders, 2)the ubiquity of law, 3)race 4)legal pluralism 5) the gap between law in the books and law in action and 6) the potential of law as a tool of progressive social change.

[Claudia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book for an introductory legal studies course; it was far better than I expected. Calavita has a really great way of explaining her ideas and has an interesting take on the law and society.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great introduction to law and society. I usually skim through texts like these, but I held onto every sentence and felt it enrich my brain. Not a sentence is wasted in here. The explanations and examples are well done and articulate. This book just might convince you to study law.

[Ashley · Rating 2 out of 5]

Some chapters were better than others. I feel like she used a lot of examples which sometimes convoluted her points.