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LAW AS SYMBOLIC ACTION: KENNETH BURKE'S SOCIOLOGY OF LAW *
Author(s) -
Meisenhelder Thomas
Publication year - 1981
Publication title -
symbolic interaction
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.874
H-Index - 47
eISSN - 1533-8665
pISSN - 0195-6086
DOI - 10.1525/si.1981.4.1.43
Subject(s) - sociology of law , sociology , symbolic interactionism , epistemology , action (physics) , law , perspective (graphical) , the symbolic , order (exchange) , social science , philosophy , psychoanalysis , political science , psychology , mathematics , physics , geometry , finance , quantum mechanics , economics
In this paper, I present Kenneth Burke's sociology of law as a critical interactionist alternative to the now dominant functionalist sociology of law. Burke's perspective conceives of the law as a form of symbolic action that contributes much to social order. Further it ties the structure and operation of the law to the ontological symbolicity of human being. Finally I suggest that the use of this theoretical framework in research on the place of law in society will produce results that are both critical and hermeneutic.