Name: The First Law
Brand: Springer International
SKU: 9783032177865
Price: 598.00 HKD
Availability: InStock
Author: Fabio Ulhoa Coelho
ISBN: 9783032177865

The First Law

By Fabio Ulhoa Coelho

Springer International February 2026

Specifications

ISBN-13: 9783032177865
Publisher: Springer International
Publication: February 2026
Format: Paperback
Jurisdiction: Switzerland ? Countri(es) for reference only

Details

This book challenges the foundational assumptions of legal theory by tracing the origins of law not to ancient customs or social contracts, but to a historically recent process of positivization. Through a rigorous archaeological and philosophical inquiry, the author redefines the concept of Law, arguing that legal norms are not timeless truths but rhetorical tools shaped by the values of legal communities. Drawing from anthropology, history, and legal philosophy, the book dismantles the myth of customary law among pre-literate societies and critiques the reification of state and legal norms. It proposes a shift in focus-from Law as norm to Law as conflict treatment-and invites readers to reconsider the legitimacy and function of legal systems.

The work is intended for scholars and students of legal theory, philosophy of law, and comparative legal traditions. It contributes to ongoing debates about the foundations of legal systems and the historical contingencies that shape how law is understood and practiced today.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 - The Centrality of The Legal Norm

Chapter 2 - Customary Law

Chapter 3 - The Social Contract

Chapter 4 - Reification of Law

Chapter 5 - The Centrality of Conflict

Chapter 6 - De-Reifying Law