Jurisprudence: Themes and Concepts offers an original introduction to, and critical analysis of, the central themes studied in jurisprudence courses. The book is presented in three parts each of which contains General Themes, Advanced Topics, tutorial questions and guidance on further reading:Law and Politics, locating the place of law within the study of institutions of government Legal Reasoning, examining the contested nature of the application of lawLaw in Modernity, exploring the social forces that shape legal development. This second edition includes enhanced discussion of the rise of legal positivism within the context of the rise of the modern state, the changing role of natural and human rights discourse, concepts of justice in and beyond the nation state, the impact of emergency doctrines in contemporary legal regulation, and challenges to the rule of law in light of shifting and competing demands for new types of social solidarity.Accessible, interdisciplinary, and socially informed this book has been revised to take into account the latest developments in jurisprudential scholarship.