Naming, blaming, claiming: an interview with Bill Felstiner, Rick Abel, and Austin Sarat
| Published date | 01 September 2021 |
| Author | ANNETTE OLESEN,OLE HAMMERSLEV |
| Date | 01 September 2021 |
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1111/jols.12314 |
DOI: ./j ols.
ARTICLE
Naming, blaming, claiming: an interview with
Bill Felstiner, Rick Abel, and Austin Sarat
ANNETTE OLESEN1OLE HAMMERSLEV2
Department of Sociology and Social
Work, Aalborg University, Fibigerstræde
, Aalborg Ø, , Denmark
Department of Law, University of
Southern Denmark, Campusvej ,
Odense M, , Denmark
Correspondingauthor
AnnetteOlesen, Department of Sociology
andSocial Work, Aalborg University,
Fibigerstræde, Aalborg Ø, ,
Denmark
Email:aol@socsci.aau.dk
Abstract
One of the most cited and influential socio-legal articles
is Bill Felstiner,Rick Abel, and Austin Sarat’s ‘The Emer-
gence and Transformation of Disputes: Naming, Blam-
ing, Claiming ...’, published in . Forty years later,
the notions and framework of the article are still highly
relevant. We convened Felstiner, Abel, and Sarat for an
interview about the background to their article, its recep-
tion, and how they view the recent refocus on institu-
tions with respect to the rule of law. The interview fol-
lows three narratives. First, it explores the social relation
between the authors and the academic and political con-
text from which the article emerged. Second, it addresses
questions about the societal impact of research. Third,
it points to ways in which we, today, attempt to cre-
ate access to official channels for problem solving and
conflict resolution as well as to new technologies affect-
ing the infrastructure of naming, blaming, and claiming
with respect to justiciable problems.
INTRODUCTION
Forty years ago, Bill Felstiner, Rick Abel, and Austin Sarat published one of the most influential
articles within socio-legal studies – namely, ‘The Emergence and Transformation of Disputes:
Naming, Blaming,Claiming...’.The importance of this article can be illustrated by the fact that
W.L.F.Felstineretal.,‘TheEmergenceandTransformationofDisputes:Naming,Blaming,Claiming...’ (–)
Law & Society Rev..
© The Authors. Journal of Lawand Society © Cardiff University Law School
J. Law Soc. ;:–. wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/jols
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