LAW & SOCIETY REVIEW

Scope & Guideline

Fostering Dialogue on Law's Role in Social Change

Introduction

Immerse yourself in the scholarly insights of LAW & SOCIETY REVIEW with our comprehensive guidelines detailing its aims and scope. This page is your resource for understanding the journal's thematic priorities. Stay abreast of trending topics currently drawing significant attention and explore declining topics for a full picture of evolving interests. Our selection of highly cited topics and recent high-impact papers is curated within these guidelines to enhance your research impact.
LanguageEnglish
ISSN0023-9216
PublisherWILEY
Support Open AccessNo
CountryUnited Kingdom
TypeJournal
Convergefrom 1977 to 1979, 1983, 1985, 1987, from 1996 to 2023
AbbreviationLAW SOC REV / Law Soc. Rev.
Frequency4 issues/year
Time To First Decision-
Time To Acceptance-
Acceptance Rate-
Home Page-
Address111 RIVER ST, HOBOKEN 07030-5774, NJ

Aims and Scopes

The LAW & SOCIETY REVIEW is dedicated to exploring the complex interplay between law and society, highlighting the diverse ways in which legal frameworks shape, and are shaped by, social phenomena. The journal emphasizes interdisciplinary approaches and encourages contributions that interrogate legal practices through various sociological lenses.
  1. Interdisciplinary Legal Studies:
    The journal focuses on integrating insights from sociology, political science, anthropology, and other fields to analyze legal systems and their societal implications.
  2. Social Justice and Human Rights:
    A core theme of the journal is the exploration of legal issues related to social justice, human rights, and the struggles of marginalized communities within legal frameworks.
  3. Legal Consciousness and Experience:
    The journal investigates how individuals and groups perceive, understand, and interact with law, emphasizing the subjective experiences of legal actors.
  4. Critique of Power Structures:
    Contributions frequently critique existing power dynamics, particularly in relation to state authority, policing, and institutional practices that perpetuate inequality.
  5. Emerging Legal Movements:
    The journal publishes work on contemporary movements and their legal implications, including issues related to immigration, LGBTQ+ rights, and environmental justice.
The LAW & SOCIETY REVIEW has seen a vibrant evolution in its thematic focus, with several emerging trends that reflect the changing landscape of law and society. These trends highlight the journal's responsiveness to current events and societal shifts, particularly in the context of social justice and equity.
  1. Surveillance and Policing:
    Recent publications have increasingly examined issues surrounding surveillance technologies, policing practices, and citizen responses to state monitoring, reflecting growing societal concerns about privacy and civil liberties.
  2. Racial Justice and Equity:
    A significant trend is the focus on racial justice, exploring how law intersects with issues of race, identity, and systemic inequality, particularly in response to movements like Black Lives Matter.
  3. Legal Pluralism and Globalization:
    There is a rising interest in legal pluralism, examining how multiple legal systems coexist and interact, especially in the context of globalization and transnational legal issues.
  4. Rights and Activism:
    Emerging themes around activism, particularly grassroots movements advocating for rights related to immigration, gender, and environmental justice, are becoming more prominent in the journal's discourse.
  5. Relational Rights and Community Dynamics:
    The concept of relational rights, which emphasizes the interconnectedness of rights within community contexts, is gaining traction, reflecting a shift towards understanding law as a social phenomenon rather than just a set of rules.

Declining or Waning

While the LAW & SOCIETY REVIEW continues to thrive in numerous thematic areas, certain topics have seen a decline in prominence over recent years. This may reflect shifting societal concerns, methodological trends, or the maturation of specific fields within legal studies.
  1. Traditional Legal Doctrines:
    There appears to be a waning interest in purely doctrinal analyses of law, with fewer contributions focusing solely on legal texts and statutes without contextual or sociological analysis.
  2. Historical Legal Analysis:
    Papers that focus exclusively on historical accounts of legal systems or cases have become less frequent, as the journal shifts towards contemporary issues and their sociopolitical implications.
  3. Formalistic Approaches to Law:
    There is a noticeable decline in contributions that adopt formalistic or overly technical perspectives on law, as the emphasis on practical, lived experiences and outcomes gains traction.
  4. Conventional Criminal Justice Issues:
    While still relevant, traditional criminal justice topics, such as sentencing or procedural rules, are being overshadowed by broader discussions on systemic reform and social justice.
  5. International Law in Isolation:
    The focus on international law as a standalone subject has decreased, with a growing preference for analyses that connect international legal issues to local contexts and social movements.

Similar Journals

Jurisprudence-An International Journal of Legal and Political Thought

Exploring the Nexus of Law and Political Thought
Publisher: ROUTLEDGE JOURNALS, TAYLOR & FRANCIS LTDISSN: 2040-3313Frequency: 3 issues/year

Jurisprudence: An International Journal of Legal and Political Thought, published by ROUTLEDGE JOURNALS, TAYLOR & FRANCIS LTD, serves as a vital platform for scholars and practitioners engaged in the ever-evolving discourse of legal and political theory. With its ISSN 2040-3313 and E-ISSN 2040-3321, this esteemed journal spans a converged period from 2015 to 2024, and has established itself in the Q2 quartile of the law category, ranking #359 out of 1025 and placing in the 65th percentile as per Scopus metrics in 2023. Based in the United Kingdom, this journal is dedicated to exploring the intricate relationships between law, political ideologies, and contemporary societal issues, thereby fostering interdisciplinary dialogue that is crucial for navigating today’s complex legal landscapes. Although it does not currently provide an open access option, Jurisprudence continues to attract a broad readership of researchers, professionals, and students seeking rigorous scholarship and practical insights into legal and political thought. With its strong impact within the field, the journal plays a significant role in shaping future discussions and advancements in legal studies.

LAW AND SOCIAL INQUIRY-JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN BAR FOUNDATION

Illuminating the Impact of Law on Social Dynamics
Publisher: CAMBRIDGE UNIV PRESSISSN: 0897-6546Frequency: 4 issues/year

Law and Social Inquiry: Journal of the American Bar Foundation, published by Cambridge University Press, is a leading interdisciplinary journal that explores the intersection of law and social sciences. With an impressive impact factor and recognized as a Q1 journal in Law and Q2 in Social Sciences for 2023, it stands among the most cited and respected publications in its field. The journal, which has been in continuous publication since 1976, aims to foster scholarly dialogue and empirical research that examines legal phenomena through social science perspectives, thus contributing to a deeper understanding of law's role in society. This commitment is reflected in its excellent Scopus rankings, placing it in the top 25% of law journals globally. Although it does not offer open access options, its high-quality, peer-reviewed content remains essential for researchers, legal practitioners, and students dedicated to advancing knowledge in law and social inquiry.

Law Culture and the Humanities

Cultivating Critical Perspectives on Law and Culture
Publisher: SAGE PUBLICATIONS LTDISSN: 1743-8721Frequency: 3 issues/year

Law Culture and the Humanities, published by SAGE Publications Ltd, serves as a pivotal forum for interdisciplinary dialogue at the intersection of law and the humanities. With an ISSN of 1743-8721 and an E-ISSN of 1743-9752, this esteemed journal has been contributing to scholarly discourse since its inception in 2005 and continues to do so until 2024. The journal carries a respectable impact factor showcased through its category rankings: Q3 in Arts and Humanities (miscellaneous), Q2 in Cultural Studies, and Q3 in Law. Its Scopus rankings reflect an impressive standing in the social sciences, particularly within Cultural Studies and Law, indicating that it is a fundamental resource for researchers and professionals aiming to explore the nuanced relationships between legal frameworks and cultural expressions. While not an Open Access journal, it offers substantial insights into contemporary debates, making it essential for academics and students engaged in the study of law's cultural dimensions.

Canadian Journal of Law and Society

Advancing Multidisciplinary Insights into Legal Systems
Publisher: CAMBRIDGE UNIV PRESSISSN: 0829-3201Frequency: 3 issues/year

The Canadian Journal of Law and Society, published by Cambridge University Press, is a distinguished academic journal dedicated to the multidisciplinary exploration of legal systems, social dynamics, and the intricate relationships that shape law and society. With an ISSN of 0829-3201 and an E-ISSN of 1911-0227, this journal has made significant contributions to the fields of Law, Sociology, and Political Science since its inception in 1986. Recognized in the 2023 category quartiles as Q3 in both Law and Sociology and Political Science, it stands as a credible platform for critical research, theoretical discussions, and empirical studies. Although not an open-access journal, it provides valuable insights that foster academic discourse and enhance understanding within the legal and social sciences domains. Addressed from the Edinburgh Building, Shaftesbury Road, Cambridge, England, the journal serves as an essential resource for researchers, practitioners, and students seeking to navigate the complexities of law and its societal impacts.

Legal Studies

Challenging Perspectives, Shaping Legal Futures
Publisher: CAMBRIDGE UNIV PRESSISSN: 0261-3875Frequency: 4 issues/year

Legal Studies, published by Cambridge University Press, is a leading journal in the field of law, recognized for its commitment to advancing scholarly dialogue and critical analysis of legal issues. With an ISSN of 0261-3875 and an E-ISSN of 1748-121X, this prestigious journal has been a key resource for researchers, practitioners, and students since its inception in 1981, and it continues to serve the academic community through rigorous peer-reviewed research up to 2024. Positioned in the Q2 category of law journals and ranked within the 60th percentile among social sciences law publications in Scopus, Legal Studies offers a unique platform for innovative legal scholarship, exploring contemporary legal phenomena and their societal implications. Although not an open-access journal, it provides subscribers and institutional partners with exclusive access to high-quality articles that inform legal thought and practice. The journal’s aim is to foster interdisciplinary perspectives and to challenge traditional viewpoints, making it an indispensable tool for anyone engaged in the legal field.

University of Bologna Law Review

Connecting Scholars and Practitioners in Legal Research
Publisher: UNIV STUDI BOLOGNA, ALMADL JOURNALSISSN: 2531-6133Frequency: 2 issues/year

University of Bologna Law Review, published by UNIV STUDI BOLOGNA, ALMADL JOURNALS, serves as a pivotal platform for legal scholars and practitioners in the field of law. Established as an Open Access journal in 2016, it has committed itself to disseminating high-quality research and fostering vibrant discussions around contemporary legal issues. Based in Italy, the journal addresses a broad spectrum of topics within the realm of law, enhancing its reach and applicability. Although it currently holds a Q4 ranking in the 2023 law category according to Scopus, this reflects its potential for growth and contribution to academic discourse. The journal’s h-index and precise scope will be developed as it continues to publish groundbreaking research up to 2024. With an aim to cultivate educational resources and foster innovative legal thought, the University of Bologna Law Review is an essential resource for researchers, professionals, and students alike, harnessing the power of open access to engage a global audience.

Annual Review of Law and Social Science

Fostering Scholarly Excellence in Law and Social Inquiry
Publisher: ANNUAL REVIEWSISSN: 1550-3585Frequency: 1 issue/year

The Annual Review of Law and Social Science, published by ANNUAL REVIEWS, is an essential interdisciplinary journal that bridges the domains of law, sociology, and political science. Established in 2006, this pivotal resource has consistently been recognized for its scholarly excellence, achieving a Q1 ranking in both the Law and Sociology and Political Science categories as of 2023. With a remarkable Scopus ranking that places it in the 93rd percentile among law journals, it serves as a vital platform for researchers and professionals seeking to engage with comprehensive reviews of contemporary issues at the intersection of these fields. Although not an open-access journal, its contributions are fundamental for advancing scholarship and fostering deeper insights into the relationship between social dynamics and legal frameworks. The journal's rigorous annual reviews provide valuable syntheses of the latest research, making it an indispensable resource for academics, policymakers, and students alike.

Justicia

Connecting scholars and practitioners for social justice.
Publisher: UNIV SIMON BOLIVARISSN: 0124-7441Frequency: 2 issues/year

Justicia, a distinguished academic journal published by UNIV SIMON BOLIVAR, serves as a vital platform for the dissemination of research within the fields of law, political science, and social justice. Since its transition to Open Access in 2014, it has broadened its reach, enabling scholars, practitioners, and students from around the globe to engage with high-quality research unrestricted by subscription barriers. Located in Barranquilla, Colombia, the journal aims to foster interdisciplinary dialogue and innovation by publishing original articles, reviews, and case studies that reflect contemporary legal challenges and social issues. With its commitment to elevating discussions on justice and governance, Justicia plays a crucial role in shaping legal scholarship and influences policy-making, making it an essential resource for anyone dedicated to understanding and contributing to the field.

Ius Humani-Revista de Derecho

Championing Open Scholarship in Human Rights
Publisher: UNIV HEMISFERIOSISSN: 1390-440XFrequency: 1 issue/year

Ius Humani-Revista de Derecho, published by Universidad Hemisferios, serves as a vital platform for discourse in the field of human rights law and its various dimensions. With an Open Access policy established since 2008, this journal ensures that scholarly articles, critical reviews, and original research are readily accessible to a global audience, fostering collaboration and innovation among researchers, professionals, and students alike. Although the journal is based in Quito, Ecuador, its reach extends internationally, making significant contributions to the understanding and application of human rights in legal frameworks. While it is still developing in terms of its HIndex and Scopus rankings, Ius Humani is poised to provide essential insights and discussions that reflect pressing legal issues and emerging trends in human rights law. Join the community of scholars engaging with this important field through Ius Humani, where knowledge is freely shared and impactful conversations are sparked.

Revista do Curso de Direito do UNIFOR

Elevating the conversation in legal education.
Publisher: FUNDACAO EDUCACIONAL COMUNITARIA FORMIGUENSEISSN: 2236-7632Frequency: 2 issues/year

Revista do Curso de Direito do UNIFOR, with ISSN 2236-7632, is a distinguished academic journal published by FUNDACAO EDUCACIONAL COMUNITARIA FORMIGUENSE in Brazil. Specializing in the field of legal studies, this journal aims to disseminate high-quality research that contributes to the understanding and development of legal theory and practice. Although the journal is currently not Open Access, it serves as a valuable platform for scholars and practitioners to share insights and advancements in law, fostering a robust dialogue among legal professionals, academics, and students. By maintaining rigorous academic standards, Revista do Curso de Direito do UNIFOR plays a crucial role in shaping legal discourse and encouraging interdisciplinary collaboration within the broader context of legal education. Researchers and students alike are encouraged to submit their work to advance the academic community's knowledge and engagement in contemporary legal issues.