Socio-legal theory and methods: Introduction

This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book provides an overview of the historical evolution of socio-legal studies and focuses on themes that everyone pursuing a socio-legal research project will encounter. It also provides an account of some prominent voices in the making of socio-legal studies, revealing personal stories of strong beliefs, hard work and serendipity. The book explores a journey through key socio-legal ideas including law in social context, legal realism, legal pluralism, legal movements and institutions, the law in the books versus the law in action, law and culture, legal theory, ideology, and the role of law in social change. It focuses on structured guide to designing a socio-legal research project, addressing central ‘how-to’ questions and practical decisions of the research process. The book reflects critically on ethical awareness in socio-legal research and the conceptualisation of risk in ethical review processes.