Austin Sarat's work delves into jurisprudence and political science, focusing on critical perspectives within these fields. His scholarship often examines how legal and political systems are perceived and experienced by ordinary people, and how these structures intersect with individual lives. He also explores the social and cultural implications of law, investigating questions of justice and its realization in contemporary society. His approach is interdisciplinary, aiming to uncover the intricate relationships between law, power, and the human experience.
Combining this rigorous archival research with a poet’s voice, Hayashi vividly portrays how coal towns, settlement houses, municipal swimming pools, state game lands, stadia, and the city’s landmark rivers were all sites of struggle over inclusion and the meaning of play in the Steel City.