Explore Law & Society
Law & Society examines legal systems in their social and institutional contexts. This subject guide introduces the questions, methods and practical work that help learners understand the field before choosing a formal course of study.
A strong starting point is to connect legal reasoning with constitutional principles. The first develops a foundation for reasoning; the second provides a setting in which to test ideas. Keep a learning journal that records assumptions, sources and questions that remain unresolved.
Four areas to investigate
Legal reasoning
Connect legal reasoning to the study of legal systems in their social and institutional contexts. Compare an introductory explanation with a worked example, then describe where the approach is useful and where it may fail.
Constitutional principles
Connect constitutional principles to the study of legal systems in their social and institutional contexts. Compare an introductory explanation with a worked example, then describe where the approach is useful and where it may fail.
Comparative law
Connect comparative law to the study of legal systems in their social and institutional contexts. Compare an introductory explanation with a worked example, then describe where the approach is useful and where it may fail.
Access to justice
Connect access to justice to the study of legal systems in their social and institutional contexts. Compare an introductory explanation with a worked example, then describe where the approach is useful and where it may fail.
Learn through inquiry
Compare approaches to legal access through a source-based policy brief.
Begin with a question narrow enough to investigate. Decide what evidence would support an answer, document the method and explain what further work would be needed.