SOCIOLOGY OF LAW

(DEFINITIONS; SCOPE; SUBJECT

MATTER; RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN
LAW AND SOCIETY)
BY
DR. JASLEEN KEWLANI RAMBANI

BY DR. JASLEEN KEWLANI RAMBANI

 DEFINITION/S
• It is the branch which studies relationship
between law and society; the mutuality between
law and society; the sociology of legal profession;
and the contributions made by various sociology
on understanding law as a branch of academics
and also as a part of society.
• Hall, “Sociology of law is a theoretical science of
constituting generalizations regarding social
phenomenon; refereing to the content, purpose,
application sand effects of legal rules”.

BY DR. JASLEEN KEWLANI RAMBANI

 CONTI..
• Sociological jurisprudence attempts to harness law for
the benefits of society.
• Society determines the purpose, nature and functions
of law.
• Sociology of law understands the social object of law.
• Social legislations attempts to understand the social
legislations and it also attempts to make an analytical
assessment of the social legislations.
• This branch of academics also focuses on interpreting
the positive as well as negative impacts of social laws.
• Sociology of law aims at understanding the issues
related to absolute implementation of laws.
BY DR. JASLEEN KEWLANI RAMBANI
 SUBJECT MATTER/SCOPE
• Laws and their impact.
• Types of democracies and societies.
• Community studies.
• Social institutions and their role performance.
• Social processes and their impact.
• Legal institutions and their functions: failure and success.
• Social movements and their socio-legal assessment.
• Natural calamities and the socio-legal impact assessment.
• Social control mechanisms.
• Group mind and individual mind and the relative influence on criminality.
• Social unrest (in youth; women; different sections of society).
• Making of the law and the assessment of the procedures for
implementation and adjudication.
• Critical analysis of the social role being played by the formal organizations
and the influence on law making and ammendement related needs.

BY DR. JASLEEN KEWLANI RAMBANI

 RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LAW AND SOCIETY
(DIFFERENCES AND SIMILARITIES; MUTUTALITY AND INTERDEPENDENCE)

• Similarities: both are social sciences; research oriented;

scientific analysis is the claim as well as the aim of both
the sciences; based on generalization; aiming at social
good.
• Differences: sociology is more elaborative than law;
law is precise and sociology is much subjective in
explanatory approach; sociology interprets and
understands multiple forms of human behavior but law
understands typical behaviors (not all range of human
behavior); law studies legislations, sociology
understands and explains the factors related to law
making and implementation.

BY DR. JASLEEN KEWLANI RAMBANI

 CONTI…
• Mutuality: social research needs both the
sciences; society is the source of law as well as
law making; both the sciences aim at
maintaining social order; both society and law
influence social processes.

BY DR. JASLEEN KEWLANI RAMBANI