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Integrating Reciprocal Perspectives: On Gurvitch's Theory of Immediate Jural Experience

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 July 2014

Reza Banakar
Affiliation:
Centre for Socio-Legal Studies, Wolfson College, University of Oxford, Oxford, Great Britain 0X2 6UD

Abstract

This paper suggests that many of Gurvitch's ideas, which were originally presented in an abstract fashion, are still highly pertinent to socio-legal analysis. They may be employed in empirical research in a revised form, which would make them receptive to operationalisation. To this end, I focus on some of the main theoretical ideas developed by Gurvitch, reinterpreting them critically and in the context of the socio-legal research of the last few decades. Then, I apply them to empirical data collected through the author's personal research experience and some other empirical studies. The question prompting this examination is whether Gurvitch's theoretical insights could enhance our understanding of such data and thus open new avenues of socio-legal enquiry.

Résumé

Cet article suggère que plusieurs idées de Gurvitch, présentées à l'origine de manière abstraite, ont gardé leur pertinence pour l'analyse socio-juridique. Sous une forme révisée qui permettrait leur application, elles seraient utilisables en recherche empirique. À cette fin, je réinterprète quelques une des principales approches théoriques de Gurvitch à la lumière de la recherche socio-juridique des dernières décennies. Je les applique par la suite aux données empiriques recueillies personnellement ou par d'autres chercheurs dans des études variées. Il s'agit de savoir si les perspectives théoriques de Gurvitch peuvent approfondir leur compréhension et ainsi ouvrir de nouvelles voies à la recherche socio-juridique.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Law and Society Association 2001

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