Bücher der Reihe Oxford Legal Philosophy

When is it justified to disobey the law? How should the law respond to instances of conscientious disobedience? This book presents the first full-length philosophical examination of the morality and legality of civil disobedience, and the legitimate responses to civil dissent open to the state.

The idea of legislative intent plays a central role in legal interpretation and constitutional theory, yet is repeatedly challenged as being an illusion. Refuting these challenges, this book develops a robust account of how and why legislatures form intentions, and the importance of these intentions to understanding law and parliamentary democracy.

Why Law Matters argues that public institutions and legal procedures are valuable and matter as such, irrespective of their instrumental value. Examining the value of rights, public institutions, and constitutional review, the book criticises instrumentalist approaches in political theory, claiming they fail to account for their enduring appeal.