This text is designed for law students, and for courses in legal studies programs. The reader deals in depth with the relationship between the legal system and its surrounding society, including such classic issues as the social sources of law and the impact of legal rules and institutions on society; other chapters examine the role of judges and lawyers in the system, and how culture and historical tradition help mold the legal systems of various societies. The book is divided into six chapters, each containing classic and contemporary readings on these subjects, together with extensive notes and questions to guide the student.