In this new collection of essays, Paul van Seters brings together an international group of scholars from diverse academic backgrounds to reflect upon the remarkable rise of communitarianism in contemporary studies of law and society. Taking account of the intricate relationship between law and communitarianism, these essays critically assess the communitarian perspective in order to gain a more systematic insight into its distinctive constraints and the special opportunities it provides. At its core, this work contends that law necessarily presupposes community, but also essentially extends it. Arguing that communitarianism must be understood as an effort to reconstruct liberalism, and not just debunk it, Communitarianism in Law and Society explores what good is to come of this movement for legal theory and practice.

Contributions by: Paul de Beer, Jos de Beus, Winfried Brugger, Roger Cotterrell, Anton Hemerijck, Dorien Pessers, Toon Peters, Philip Selznick, Paul van Seters, Sanne Taekema, Willem Witteveen