Law and Society – Tutorial I

Law and Society Overview

General Information

• Instructor: Christos Zois (Teaching Assistant & PhD Candidate, Sciences Po School of Law)

• Date: 10 March 2025

Roadmap for Today's Tutorial

• Mid-term exams housekeeping

• Law as an autonomous system (Session 1)

• Law beyond legal rules (Session 2)

• The crafts of law (Session 3)

• Law and the State (Session 4)

• Constitutionalism (Session 5)

Mid-Term Exam Reminder

• Format: 10 questions – multiple choice

• Notes: More than one correct answer possible

• Duration: 30 minutes in-class

Law as an Autonomous System (Session 1)

Relationship Between Law and Society

• Law as a Social Phenomenon: Variants in interpretation by different theorists:

  • O.W. Holmes: Law determined by court rulings rather than abstract reasoning.

  • H. Kelsen: Law as a system of prescribed norms governing human behavior.

  • R. Pound: Law seen as a human construct shaped by operational norms.

Law and Social Theory

• Focus on complexities of social interactions, studying law through:

  • Discursive analysis: Understanding law as language and practice.

  • Legal agents: The role of professionals within society (judges, lawyers).

  • Ideological power: Examining law through critical lenses like feminist and ecological perspectives.

Theoretical Perspectives

• K. Marx: Law reflects bourgeois interests, supporting capitalism.

• E. Durkheim: Law binds society and emerges from industrial development.

• M. Weber: Bureaucratic law reflects rationality of Western capitalist ethos.

Law as a System - K. Llewellyn

• Nature of Law: Communicative institution involving human action.

  • Functions of Law: Social order maintenance, conflict mediation, regulation of behavior, political power allocation.

Sociology of Legal Profession

• Specialization and recognition of skills within legal practice.

• Influences of law practice dynamics and interaction with practitioners.

N. Luhmann's Perspective

• Autopoietic System: Law stabilizes societal expectations by serving as a bridge between social events.

Law Beyond Legal Rules (Session 2)

Law as a Field - P. Bourdieu

• Critique of both formalism and instrumentalism in law.

• Juridical Field: Social competition for legal definitions and representations.

• Power dynamics determined by legal professionals and their roles in society.

The Crafts of Law (Session 3)

Production of Legal Professionals

• Control over education and access to legal practice.

• Corporate Legal Practice: Shift towards bureaucratic specialization.

• Personal Legal Practice: Ranges from traditional to boutique firms.

  • Impact of AI and mass production on the legal profession.

Law and the State (Session 4)

Emergence of the State and Authority

• Historical Context: Transition from feudal systems to modern states; significance of taxation and urban governance.

• Sovereignty Development: Integration of state authority and individual political participation post-Westphalia.

International Law and Limits of Sovereignty

• Public International Law regulates state interactions and embodies human rights principles.

Positivism and Constitutionalism (Sessions 5)

Features of Constitutionalism

• Dynamic relationship between law, popular sovereignty, and rights recognition.

• Evolution of constitutional frameworks and their societal impact.

• Transconstitutionalism: Interaction between various jurisdictions on common legal issues, e.g., climate change litigation.

Summary of Constitutionalism

• Constitutions as foundational instruments reflecting societal values and the necessity for adherence to rights.

Law and society operate in a complex dance where each influences the other in profound ways. Let's break this down with some juicy details.

First up, there’s the idea of law as an autonomous system. Some theorists argue that law isn't just about rules written down somewhere; it’s a living, breathing entity shaped by real-life court rulings. O.W. Holmes famously viewed law as being determined more by what judges decide than any preordained set of rules. Pretty wild, right?

Then we have H. Kelsen, who puts forward the law as a system of norms that dictate human behavior. And there's R. Pound, seeing law as a human construct molded by the society's operational norms. It’s like everyone’s agreeing on the rules to keep the peace, but those rules are debated and defined by societal needs and pressures.

By the way, let’s not overlook the impact of ideology in law. Critical lenses like feminism or ecological perspectives challenge us to think about how law isn't neutral; it reflects power dynamics in society. For instance, K. Marx argued that laws serve bourgeois interests, upholding capitalism – talk about a power play!

We can’t leave out E. Durkheim and M. Weber, who add more spice to the blend. Durkheim believed law binds society together, essential for the social order, especially as industrial development increases. Weber, meanwhile, introduced us to how bureaucratic law reflects Western rationality - it’s like law wearing a business suit and carrying a briefcase.

Now, turn your attention to the legal profession. The sociology of legal practitioners shows how specialization has gone to new heights, with the rise of corporate legal practices and the entry of AI in the field. This shift brings a whole new flavor to legal work and influences how legal agents operate.

Lastly, the interaction of law with the state and constitutionalism is a real blockbuster! The emergence of state authority influenced by historical transitions, sovereignty, and public international law has everyone on the edge of their seats. And constitutionalism? It’s the evolving relationship between law, the spirit of the people, and the recognition of rights - a drama that shapes society every single day.

In summary, understanding law's interplay with society reveals a tangled web of interests, ideologies, and power plays, painting a vivid picture of how society governs itself and adapts over time. It’s like law and society are in a never-ending soap opera, full of twists, reforms, and the occasional scandal.