Bronislaw Malinowski's Concept of Law

More about the book

This book explores the legal thought of Bronislaw Malinowski (1884-1942), a pivotal figure in social sciences who significantly shaped modern cultural anthropology. It is the first comprehensive examination of his legal conceptions, addressing a notable gap in existing literature, which has largely overlooked his understanding of law despite his extensive research in this area, particularly during the latter part of his career. The main objective is to present Malinowski's thoughts on law in detail. The book is structured in two parts: Part I examines the influence of two prominent professors from his alma mater, L. Dargun and S. Estreicher, on his legal ideas. Part II reconstructs Malinowski’s broad and multidimensional understanding of law, offering new interpretations primarily through the lens of reciprocity. This work provides a fresh perspective on his legal views, encouraging further exploration of legal issues inspired by his methodological and theoretical contributions. Malinowski’s insights into law serve as a rich resource for formulating research questions and establishing a solid foundation for developing theories that better describe and explain the functioning of law, informed by new findings in both social and natural sciences.