Kelsen Revisited: New Essays on the Pure Theory of Law

Hans Kelsen's Pure Theory of Law remains one of the most discussed bodies of work in legal philosophy, long after his death. These essays take that theory as a stimulus rather than a fixed doctrine, pushing forward debates that run through contemporary jurisprudence.

The collection is arranged in three parts. The first considers legal validity, the normativity of law and Kelsen's basic norm, an idea many readers find both central and puzzling. The second turns to the social realities of law and to what legal officials actually do in practice. The third looks at how legal systems are conceptually built and how the logic of legal norms holds together.

Every contribution was written specifically for this book. The book also includes, in English translation, a polemical essay by Kelsen himself.ISBN-13 9781849464567.