SOCI 395. Sociology of Law.

The course provides an overview of the role that law plays in modern society from a sociological perspective. The first part of the course explores major theoretical traditions within the sociology of law emphasizing relevant theoretical statements by Durkheim, Marx, and Weber and examines how these theories continue to influence our understanding of the law today. The second part draws from both theoretical and empirical work to assess the ways in which the law serves as a form of social control, produces and reproduces inequality in society, and finally considers the possibility that law can act as a vehicle for social change.