chapter 1 Space and legal pluralism: an introduction

Since the spatial turn in the social sciences, impressive advances have been made in analysing the interrelations between social organization and processes and space, place and boundaries.1 this spatialization of social theory has been prompted by a critical social geography and a heightened interest in the effects of globalization and the challenges it has posed to notions of state-based territoriality.2 Studies addressing space usually focus on urban studies, where issues of households and gender, identity, public and private spaces, and inequality are discussed, but legal issues are marginally discussed at best.3 while some studies of political and economic organization have touched on law in their examination of territoriality and land tenure, they rarely investigate the specific ways in which law features in any detail.4 in general the relationship between law and space still seems to be considered marginal to social sciences in general, relegated to a specialization within geography.5 in recent years, however, the relationship between law and space has drawn broader interest. there is a growing body of geographic studies of law by author