Foundations of the Sociology of Law provides a conceptual framework for thinking about the full range of topics within the sociology of law discipline.

The book: contrasts normative and sociological perspectives on law; presents a primer on the logic of research and inference as applied to law related issues; examines theories of legal change; and discusses law in action with specific reference to civil rights legislation.

An Introduction to the Sociology of Law
PART ONE: LEGAL CHANGE
Evolutionary Theories of Legal Change
Maine and Durkheim
Law, Class Conflict and the Economy
Marxian Theory
Law and the State
Max Weber¿s Sociology of Law
The Problem of Law in the Activist State
PART TWO: LEGAL ACTION
Voting Rights and School Desegregation
Equal Employment Opportunity
PART THREE: THE LEGAL PROFESSION
Law as a Profession
The Transformation of Legal Practice in the Late 20th Century

He is Professor of Sociology at the University of California, Santa Barbara. He teaches and does research on law, crime and punishment, and organizations. His research tends to be concerned with change over time in legal systems, organizational structures and practices, and institutional fields.