This book undertakes a socio-legal analysis of the relation between law and the process of urban change in Brazil throughout this century. This is done through a critique of the evolution of urban legislation, as well as the discussion of some of the main forms of legal pluralism brought about by the urban processes concerning access to urban land and housing. The book aims to widen the scope of the existing urban research, which has largely underestimated the legal dimension of the urbanization process. It also aims to offer insights which should contribute to the understanding of the democratic process of social mobilization around urban issues.