Law and Social Norms
In this excellent book, Posner (law, Univ. of Chicago) raises such fundamental questions as why people conform to social norms and why they generally refrain from antisocial behavior even when the law is absent. He then proposes a methodology for the systematic analysis of social norms. Posner uses models of nonlegal collective action to show the possibilities underlying cooperative behavior. He demonstrates how varied dimensions of nonformal, i.e., nongovernmental, strategies can resolve many types of social conflicts. Posner considers numerous theoretical and practical problems in the current study of relationships between social norms and law, offering new avenues toward understanding these relationships. His book uses a game-theory approach to revise lawyers' and scholars' views about the relationships between social norms and the law. This interesting and novel analysis is highly recommended for academic libraries.DSteven Puro, St. Louis Univ.Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.