Elgar Encyclopedia of Comparative Law (2nd edition)

摘要

Now in its second edition, the Elgar Encyclopedia of Comparative Law offers "a general readership with easy accessible articles on which stock is taken of present-day comparative law scholarship" (p. xvi). Editor Jan M. Smits has sought to make the encyclopedia serve readers "as a first entry into a field of law, a specific topic, or a legal system" (p. ⅩⅤⅡ). The encyclopedia possesses an alphabetical-based organization that centers on the following four main types of topical themes: Collections of Articles on Specific Areas of the Law; Topics Dealing with the Method of Questioning in Comparative Law; Common Law as Practiced in American and Various International Legal Systems; and Reports on the Legal Systems of Specific Countries (p. xvi). The encyclopedia provides of a total of 76 articles written over 1,000 pages that include an index section, contents section, and contributors section. The latter helpfully highlights the respective area of expertise each contributing author possesses so that a reader may get an understanding of the background topic of each article.