By Gerard V. Bradley, Cory L. Andrews (Contributor), The Intercollegiate Studies Institute (ISI), May 2006

In a society in which courts, and hence lawyers, have achieved extraordinary power, it is not surprising that the discipline of law is contentious and controversial.

In A Student's Guide to the Study of Law, Gerard V. Bradley, professor of law at the University of Notre Dame Law School and an expert in the areas of constitutional law and law and religion, introduces readers to the major concepts, cases, and thinkers that have shaped American legal scholarship and history. He also helps readers better understand what, at bottom, is at stake in the different understandings of the nature of law that drive many of our national debates.

Download the Guide (Pdf, 395KB)

Book Description:

The ISI Guides to the Major Disciplines are reader-friendly introductions to the most important fields of knowledge in the liberal arts. Written by leading scholars for both students and the general public, they will be appreciated by anyone desiring a reliable and informative tour of important subject matter. Each title offers an historical overview of a particular discipline, explains the central ideas of each subject, and evaluates the works of thinkers whose ideas have shaped our world. They will aid students seeking to make better decisions about their course of study as well as general readers who wish to supplement their education. All who treasure the world of ideas and liberal learning will be motivated by these original and stimulating presentations.

About the Author

Gerard V. Bradley is Professor of Law at the University of Notre Dame Law School. A well-known scholar in the field of constitutional law, as well as law and religion, his books include Catholicism, Liberalism, and Communitarianism and Church-State Relationships in America.

Preface: 

A Student’s Guide to the Study of Law might sound like a basic rulebook, a guide to the regulations governing a college campus, such as disciplinary procedures or which “help” number to call if you are picked up for underage drinking. This guide is altogether a different matter, however. It is not for students in trouble, but for
those who wish to really understand the civil law of a political society such as the United States.

This slim volume focuses on matters that most law schools neglect, or teach badly, or both. Undergraduate law courses, or even graduate programs in legal philosophy, are little better. Outside the academy—in popular culture and in ambient political debate—it is also hard to get a reliable grip on the issues. This guide concentrates on what you need to know to really understand civil law but cannot easily find elsewhere. 

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