Law and Society

Steven Vago was an integral part of the creation of an alcohol treatment program at Malcolm Bliss Hospital in St. Louis and became professor in the Department of Sociology at St. Louis University, where he taught for over 30 years. At the end of his teaching career in 2001, Professor Vago retired to Bellingham, Washington, with his wife Kathe. Vago passed away in 2010, at the age of 73. Steven E. Barkan is Professor Emeritus of Sociology at the University of Maine. His teaching and research interests include criminology, sociology of law, and social movements. In addition to his many publications in these areas, Professor Barkan is a past president of the Society for the Study of Social Problems (SSSP), served as chair of SSSP’s Law and Society Division, served on the council of the American Sociological Association’s Sociology of Law Section, and is a past president of the Textbook and Academic Authors Association.

Preface






Introduction: Making Sense Of Law And Society



Theoretical Perspectives



The Organization Of Law



Lawmaking



Law And Social Control



Law And Dispute Resolution



Law And Social Change



The Legal Profession



Researching Law In Society



Epilogue: Law And Inequality In A Changing America

Index