Law and Community in Three American Towns
Many commentators on the contemporary United States believe that current rates of litigation are a sign of decay in the nation's social fabric. This book explores how ordinary people in three towns view the law, courts, litigants, and sense of social order. The authors are concerned about how symbolic distinctions between "insiders" and "outsiders" emerge out of local cultural patterns. One striking finding is that the sense of community in the three towns is a reaction to modern notions of pluralism. In a brief introduction, the authors, two anthropologists and a lawyer, present a useful guide to the field of "legal anthropology," which developed only in this century. The authors note that, while their examination of life in American towns is not really unique, theirs is the first to focus entirely on the role of law and legal institutions. Although based on three originally independent studies, this book developed into a unified text with useful findings. Recommended to both scholars and interested lay readers.Jerry E. Stephens, U.S. Court of Appeals Lib., Oklahoma CityCopyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.