Description
Book SynopsisLegal Anthropology: An Introduction offers an initial overview of the challenging debates surrounding the cross-cultural analysis of legal systems. Equal parts review and criticism, James M. Donovan outlines the historical landmarks in the development of the discipline, identifying both strengths and weaknesses of each stage and contribution. Legal Anthropology suggests that future progress can be made by looking at the perceived fairness of social regulation, rather than sanction or dispute resolution as the distinguishing feature of law.
Trade ReviewJames M. Donovan's Legal Anthropology: An Introduction is a very useful, needy, and successful account that presents the various aspects of law, with a clear and balanced exposition of the major theories of legal scholars. -- Leopold Pospisil, professor and curator emeritus, Yale Peabody Museum
Donovan's introduction is a book worth reading….His book succeeds in its function as a textbook….This book makes a well-written introduction to an important field of anthropology. * Anthropos *
In a field where there are many good and some great monographs, critical overviews are few and far between, and James M. Donovan's comprehensive treatment of legal anthropology comes as a breath of fresh air. Legal Anthropology guides newcomers to the rich literature of law and anthropology, and provides more mature scholars with perspectives to debate. -- Mack O'Barr, professor of cultural anthropology at Duke University and author of Just Words, Second Edition: Law, Language, and Power
Table of ContentsPart 1 Introduction: Why Study Legal Anthropology Part 2 Section I: General Background Chapter 3 Chapter 1: Philosophical Starting Points Chapter 4 Chapter 2: Studying Law in the Field Part 5 Section II: Forerunners Chapter 6 Chapter 3: Natural Law: Description and Reactions Chapter 7 Chapter 4: Sociology of Law Part 8 Section III: Ethnographic Foundations Chapter 9 Chapter 5: Malinowski and Reciprocity-Based Law Chapter 10 Chapter 6: Schapera and Codification of Indigenous Law Chapter 11 Chapter 7: Hoebel and the Rise and Legal Realism Chapter 12 Chapter 8: Gluckman and Identification of Legal Universals Chapter 13 Chapter 9: Bohanna and Relativism Chapter 14 Chapter 10: Pospisil and Differentiating the Institutions of Social Regulation Chapter 15 Chapter 11: Nader and Processualism Chapter 16 Chapter 12: O'Barr & Conley and Studying Up Part 17 Section IV: Highlights of Comparative Anthropology Chapter 18 Chapter 13: Cross-Cultural Comparison Chapter 19 Chapter 14: Dispute Resolution Chapter 20 Chapter 15: Legal Pluralism Part 21 Section V: Issues in Applied Legal Anthropology Chapter 22 Chapter 16: Human Rights Chapter 23 Chapter 17: Intellectual Property Rights Chapter 24 Chapter 18: The Cultural Defense Chapter 25 Chapter 19: Terrorism Chapter 26 Chapter 20: A Fairness-Centered Legal Anthropology Chapter 27 Chapter 21: Overview and Prospects
