Consequences: The Impact of Law and Its Complexity [Paperback] Bogart, W.A.

Review 'Consequences is a fascinating and important book. Bogart has written a classic example of sociolegal scholarship. It is timely and yet connected to venerable issues in sociolegal studies of law, and displays great mastery of a very important subject.' -- Austin Sarat, Law, Jurisprudence and Social Thought, Department of Political Science, Amherst College.'This is a beautiful piece of scholarship: well crafted and thoroughly researched, it is a deep contribution to legal writing. Magisterial in sweep, thoughtful, and engagingly written, this is a well-developed and mature piece of scholarship. It is one of those rare academic books, which manages to be accessible and highly readable without sacrificing rigour. This is first-rate stuff.' -- Wesley Pue, Faculty of Law, University of British Columbia Product Description Canada and the United States increasingly rely on law to grapple with complex societal issues. What is the impact of this growing dependence on law and legal systems? W.A. Bogart offers a timely and erudite investigation of the impact of law on societies, and how this excessive reliance on law, particularly litigation, has generated difficulties in achieving consensus regarding issues of domestic policy. Focussing mainly on the United States as the center for post World War II legal culture, the book takes into consideration other western countries, and allows the reader a comparison of legal systems. Consequences begins by documenting the growth of law and the reasons for its enhanced influence; the book then discusses the complex meanings of impact and the substantial difficulties in gauging outcomes produced by law. Bogart illustrates his discussion with five case studies, documenting law's complex ties to economics, education, and political issues, and asserts that positive outcomes have occurred despite litigation's disappointing record. Consequences is a timely, important and interdisciplinary contribution to the study of law and sociology, and will make a substantial addition to the studies of law and society. About the Author W.A Bogart is Professor of Law at the University of Windsor.