What explains divergences in political liberalism among new nations that shared the same colonial heritage? This book assembles exciting original essays on former colonies of the British Empire in South Asia, Africa, and Southeast Asia that gained independence after World War II. The interdisciplinary country specialists reveal how inherent contradictions within British colonial rule were resolved after independence in contrasting liberal-legal, despotic, and volatile political orders. Through studies of the longue durée and particular events, this book presents a theory of political liberalism in the post-colony and develops rich hypotheses on the conditions under which the legal complex, civil society, and the state shape alternative postcolonial trajectories around political freedom. This provocative volume presents new perspectives for scholars and students of postcolonialism, political development, and the politics of the legal complex, as well as for policy makers and publics who struggle to construct and defend basic legal freedoms.

Product Description: Malcolm Feeley’s work is well-known to scholars around the world and has influenced two generations of criminologists and legal scholars. He has written extensively on crime and the legal process and has published numerous articles in law, history, social science and philosophy journals; two of his books, The Process is the Punishment and Court Reform on Trials, have won awards...read more

Product Description: The Japanese legal system is at a crossroads. The contributors to this book explore the most important features of the adversary process as it works in the Japanese criminal justice system. Topics include the right to remain silent, wire tapping, the role of defence counsel, plea bargaining, the power of prosecutors, juvenile justice and judicial independence...read more (view table of contents, read Amazon.com's description)

Product Description: Between 1965 and 1990, federal judges in almost all of the states handed down sweeping rulings that affected virtually every prison and jail in the United States. Without a doubt judges were the most important prison reformers during this period...read more (view table of contents, read Amazon.com's description)

Product Description: The case excerpts contained in this text are preceded by essays that place each case in its historical, political, and constitutional perspective. Among the major topics covered are judicial review and court power, separation of powers, national authority over commerce and taxation, freedom of expression, freedom of religion, rights of the accused, and equal protection...read more