Prospects and problems of socio-cultural antropology of law: response to critical remarks

In the «Lex Russica» journal (2015, number 6) there was a review of the monograph "The socio-cultural anthropology of law: multi-authored monograph", which I have co-edited and co-authored. Considering the critical remarks, it is important to formulate perspectives and partially solved problems of socio-cultural anthropology of law as a scientific research program. The reviewers point out that the important question of the role of objective interests of individuals and social groups as well as the majority of the population is poorly considered; moreover, the authors of the book actually ignore objective (independent of the will of the people and their mentality) influencing factors involved in the formation of the rule of law. However, the objectivity of the social sciences from the standpoint of post-classical (postnonclassical) epistemology is different from the classic design of scientific objectivity, formed by the natural sciences in that it is inherently intersubjective. It does not deny objectivity, but makes us rethink it: it is constructed by people their social representations, mediated by historical and socio-cultural context. Intersubjectivity indicates that law is a social phenomenon, both mediating and also including interpersonal interaction. Objectivity of legal doctrine is a social idea, internalized into a sense of justice of an individual and reproduced by their practices. Legal culture as a landmark mediation law, fulfilling one of its most important functions - source of law making, gives the legal significance to social events and processes. Interests are included in the legal typification of legal and everyday practices and are a part of the motivation of people - carriers of the status of a subject of law. People are guided by individual motives of conduct, satisfy relevant needs, relating them with legal expectations - the expectations of appropriate behavior on the part of the counterparty in the interaction and the requirements of the law. In the everyday legal routine a person is guided mainly by three main motives, which are in a difficult intersection and often complement each other: strengthening of personal social significance (e. g. career); increase utility maximization (personal use); ensure the stability of the existence (load reduction, increase predictability, conformity) with regard to the correlation with possible, necessary or prohibited conduct stipulated in the rule of law and the specific life situation.

sociocultural anthropology of law, social action law, postclassical methodology of law, constructible law, intersubjectivity law

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