University of the Commission of National Education in Kraków

English abstract: This paper proposes an approach to scientific biography from the perspective of Pierre Bourdieu’s theoretical project. The choice of Leon Petrażycki (1867–1931), a philosopher and sociologist of law, who might be called an icon of the philosophy of law in Poland, results from the fact that his trajectory gives an insight into the interesting processes taking place in the scientific field, as well as in other social fields at the turn of the century up to the 1930s. Thus, L. Petrażycki is a ‘special case of what is possible’, a ‘product’ of the era. An era marked, on the one hand, by strong geopolitical divisions, corresponding to unequal flows of ideas between national scientific fields, on the other hand, characterized by high fluidity of the boundaries of social fields (science, journalism, politics), between which (up to a certain point) L. Petrażycki adroitly ‘moves’. Petrażycki’s trajectory is also interesting research-wise, as it reveals the influence of social structures on scientific positions occupied and positions takings in discourse. Furthermore, it shows how scientific failure is sublimated. Therefore, the article complements previous perspectives and is programmatic in that it can inspire similar endeavours in the future.

Keywords: philosophy of law, sociology of law, Leon Petrażycki, Pierre Bourdieu, scientific capital, biographical trajectory, scientific field theory

Language: Polish

Published: Number 1(38)/2024, pp. 19-33

DOI: https://doi.org/10.36280/AFPiFS.2024.1.19

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Number of downloads: 297

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Pedagogical University of Cracow

English abstract: The Polish sociology of law is unfamiliar with the critical sociology of law as proposedby P. Bourdieu – one of the most acclaimed contemporary sociologists. Therefore the mainaim of the paper is to indicate the causes of this neglection. The text also points out waysin which Bourdieu’s approach can assist in describing and explaining the social functioningof the legal universe. There are several reasons for the lack of reception of Bourdieu’stheory. The lack of critical debates in the field of law is caused by the assumptions of thetheory. Its main goal is to uncover the mechanisms of domination. Bourdieu’s project givesan opportunity not only to disclose the mechanisms by which the law preserves existingsocial relations, but also to discredit its universality by showing that it favours dominantgroups and agents. As such, Bourdieu’s theory threatens the foundations of the field oflaw. Another reason for this negligence among the Polish sociologists of law is structuralin nature. Firstly, the problem lies in the location of the field of law in the field of power.Secondly, in a specific position that sociology of law holds at faculties of law: academicswho are working on that field are mostly lawyers entangled in legal thinking schemata (legaldoxa), legal sensus communis which is considered as indisputable in the field of law.

Keywords: legal sociology, Pierre Bourdieu, legal doxa

Language: Polish

Published: Number 1(8)/2014, pp. 18-28

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Number of downloads: 351