With its clear and entertaining writing style, Understanding Jurisprudence is the perfect guide for students new to legal theory and looking for an accessible introduction to the subject. Key theories and theorists are introduced in a compact and easy-to-read format, offering an engaging account of the central ideas without oversimplification. Key quotes from leading scholars are included throughout the text, introducing you to their work and its impact on legal philosophy, while further reading suggestions help you to navigate the broad range of literature available in this area. Each chapter concludes with a series of critical questions designed to encourage you to think analytically about the law and the key ideas and debates which surround it. New to this editionRevised to include the most recent scholarship in several areas of jurisprudence, and to reflect the social and political developments that have influenced the law and legal theoryExpanded chapters on natural law, legal positivism, realism, rights, and theories of justiceNew and enhanced discussions of the rule of law, global justice, virtue ethics, human and animal rights, the economic analysis of law, and postmodernist theoriesUpdated suggested further reading lists and questions at the end of each chapter