INTRODUCTION TO ETHNOGRAPHIES OF LAW AND SOCIAL CONTROL

• Date: 28 April 2005
• Pages: 1-6
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S1521-6136(04)06001-4
• Published date: 28 April 2005
• Author: Stacy Lee Burns

INTRODUCTION TO ETHNOGRAPHIES

OF LAW AND SOCIAL CONTROL

Stacy Lee Burns

ABSTRACT

Until recently, collections of qualitative research on law and social

control included only a narrow range of approaches, with almost

no ethnomethodologically-informed ethnographies. The chapters in the

volume exemplify the distinctive contributions that ethnographic and

ethnomethodologically-informed studies have to offer research on law and

social control from theoretical, substantive, and methodological viewpoints.

The discussions address a timely and usefully broad selection of themes and

provide detailed access to the unfolding dynamics of how various informal

and official actors and social control institutions respond to and manage a

variety of troubles, crimes, cases, and other social control problems.

This volume brings together distinguished scholars and cutting-edge experts in

the fields of ethnography, law, and social control to present a comprehensive,

insightful, and state-of-the-art overview of the everyday work and activities of

legal and social control professionals, functionaries, and participants. Generally,

collections of qualitative research on law and social control include only a

narrow range of approaches, with little or no ethnomethodologically-informed

ethnographies. The practical terms through which people involved in law

and social control organize their activities, carry out their tasks, and make

their interactions meaningful have not been central to most studies (but see

Ethnographies of Law and Social Control

Sociology of Crime, Law and Deviance, Volume6, 1–6

Copyright © 2005 by Elsevier Ltd.

All rights of reproduction in any form reserved

ISSN: 1521-6136/doi:10.1016/S1521-6136(04)06001-4

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