Building a Culture of Lawfulness

Book excerpt: This book is the first interdisciplinary study of the rule of law in an environment of complementary culture. It argues that the rule of law should not be defined solely through the development of institutions, but also through the mobilization of existing culture towards support for law and its enforcement. Recognizing that the rule of law is most often misunderstood by many, the book describes the benefits of the rule of law and exposes its weaknesses and limitations. It summarizes the history and practice through case studies where culture has played an essential role in achieving a sustainable rule of law in practice. It incorporates the unique challenges to rule of law in regions like the Middle East, and addresses the nexus of law culture and institutions in the context of policing in the United States. Appropriate for researchers, professionals, and practitioners of law, policing, cultural criminology, and sociology, this book identifies practical and actionable elements of culture that can be mobilized, even in states that are only in the initial stages of developing the rule of law.