Law and Popular Culture: A Course Book, 2nd Edition

by Michael Asimow, Shannon Mader

This book explores the interface between law and popular culture, two subjects of enormous current importance and influence. Exploring how they affect each other, each chapter discusses a legally themed film or television show, such as Philadelphia or Dead Man Walking, and treats it as both a cultural and a legal text, illustrating how popular culture both constructs our perceptions of law, and changes the way that players in the legal system behave. Written without theoretical jargon, Law and Popular Culture: A Course Book is intended for use in undergraduate or graduate courses and can be taught by anyone who enjoys pop culture and is interested in law.

Genres: Nonfiction

357 pages, Paperback

First published August 2, 2004

About the author

Michael Asimow is a professor at Santa Clara Law School and a professor of law emeritus at UCLA Law School. He teaches a course in Law and Popular Culture about law and lawyers in movies and television and wrote a teaching book on that subject. Michael also teaches contract law and administrative law. He has written numerous books and articles on law and pop culture. He and his wife Merrie (a fine arts photographer) live in Menlo Park, California. Michael enjoys playing the piano, biking and tennis. Paul Bergman is a Professor of Law Emeritus at UCLA Law School. Paul teaches evidence and trial practice and received the University Distinguished Teaching Award. Paul has also written numerous essays about law and popular culture. He and his wife Andi live in Pasadena, California. Paul loves bike riding, all genres of movies, and giving courtroom film clip-based presentations to judges, lawyers and community groups.

Reviews

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Solid text for my new course, "Law Through Popular Culture."

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is really a good textbook with some great films and strong commentary. It's held up well for my course, and I read it cover-to-cover again this semester. My students seem to like it, it's accessible, and it offers a bunch of interesting social science and filmic directions for further discussion.

[Jacqueline christakis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this for a college course, good insight

[Brett · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don't tend to like studying popular culture, but this book was okay. Lawyers who want to continue to regulate themselves must necessarily worry about how the public views them. This book does a good job at explaining how Hollywood has portrayed lawyers over time.