In his new open access book, Legal Mobilization: Addressing the potential and limits of law-based civic advocacy, Dr Jeff Handmaker (Associate Professor of Legal Sociology at the International Institute of Social Studies) critically reflects on the opportunities and challenges of law-based advocacy.
Legal Mobilization discusses the strategic potential of law-based, civic-led advocacy and surveys how legal mobilization can serve as a form of counterpower to state and corporate-led lawfare.
The book covers a variety of pressing international issues such as the struggle for migrants’ rights in the Netherlands and the global push for Palestinian rights, as well as legal battles in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic. The book also examines ‘lawfare blowback’, the hegemonic use of law by governments, companies and other non-governmental actors seeking to disrupt the efforts of advocates.
Exploring different functions of law through an analytical concept and approach of legal mobilization, this book provides a unique reflection on how law can address systemic crises.
- Associate professor
- Related links
- Legal Mobilization Platform
