The Section for the Sociology of Law (Sektion Rechtssoziologie) is one of the currently 34 sections in the German Sociological Association (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Soziologie, or DGS), which bring together sociologists in their special field of inquiry and teaching. The Section aims at promoting teaching and research in the field of sociology of law, both in the Faculties of Law and Social Sciences. Anyone who is interested in the sociology of law is welcome to subscribe as a member.

Many lawyers were among the founders of German sociology. Sociology of law, therefore emerged as a special field of sociological inquiry at an early stage of the development of sociology in Germany. After World War II, sociology of law slowly developed in the Federal Republic of Germany, while the Communist government in East Germany strictly prohibited any attempts towards socio-legal inquiry. In West Germany sociologists Wolfgang Kaupen (1937-1981) and Fritz Sack as well as lawyer-and-sociologist Rüdiger Lautmann took the initiative and founded the DGS Sektion Rechtssoziologie in 1972.

In 1980, a group of socio-legal scholars, amongst them notably Niklas Luhmann, who were led by Erhard Blankenburg, founded the German Journal for the Sociology of Law (Zeitschrift für Rechtssoziologie). The peer-reviewed journal quickly gained a reputation for outstanding contributions and debate. Since 2000, the journal is published by Lucius & Lucius in Stuttgart.

The Section organises sessions and plenaries at the bi-annual meetings of the German Sociological Association, as well as dedicated workshops, and conferences with the Association for the Sociology of Law (Vereinigung für Rechtssoziologie). The Section also collaborates with other sections in the German Sociological Association, as e.g. political sociology and sociology of the family, thus strengthening its interdisciplinary outreach. International collaborations include the LSA and RCSL. A special focus of the work of the Section is the development of young researchers and postgraduate training. The Section collaborates with the Berliner Arbeitskreis Rechtswirklichkeit (BAR) and the Association for the Sociology of Law in organising dedicated workshops and events for young researchers and postgraduates. Each year the Section awards a prize for best student paper, undergraduate dissertation or diploma dissertation, or MA thesis by a German student.

Further information:
Machura, Stefan. (2001). German Sociology of Law. The American Sociologist 32 (2): 41-60.

Inquiries should be directed to Stefan Machura at s.machura(at)bangor.ac.uk