He is Professor of Sociology at the University of California, Santa Barbara. He teaches and does research on law, crime and punishment, and organizations. His research tends to be concerned with change over time in legal systems, organizational structures and practices, and institutional fields.
Foundations of the Sociology of Law provides a conceptual framework for thinking about the full range of topics within the sociology of law discipline. The book: contrasts normative and sociological perspectives on law; presents a primer on the logic of research and inference as applied to law related issues; examines theories of legal change; and discusses law in action with specific reference to civil rights legislation.
