Law and Society

Abstract Baxi critiques the celebration of "Law Day" (Constitution Day) in India. He asks whether it has become a mere ritual of "opinions" or a day for "reflexive judgment" on the state of the nation. He argues that the day should be used to audit the "constitutional promises" made to the impoverished. Baxi highlights the gap between "constitutional law" (the text) and "constitutional life" (the reality). He calls for a "renewed pledge" to the "Directive Principles," asserting that Law Day is...

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In the Lokayan Bulletin, Vol. 5, 4/5

Abstract Baxi explores the "great divide" between progressive legislation and its failed implementation on the ground. He uses Roscoe Pound’s famous distinction to critique the "symbolic" nature of many Indian laws (like those against untouchability or dowry). The article argues that the "law-in-books" creates a "false sense of progress" while the "law-in-action" remains hostage to social power and police apathy. The synopsis notes Baxi’s call for "socially auditing" laws. He suggests that true...

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Published by OUP.

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Published by the Indian Social Institute, New Delhi. 110-125

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Published by Indian Social Institute, New Delhi. pg 110-125

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The work is a piece of Baxi's early scholarship and a precursor to his later, acclaimed work on the sociology of Indian law, human rights, and social justice. It explores the complex and often contradictory relationship between formal legal systems and the realities of violence and individual moral conscience. Published in The Journal of Sydney University Law Society, BlackAcre. pg 31-34

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Published by OUP.

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Baxi examines Ambedkar’s moral and legal reasoning as insurgent critique. The essay reflects on law’s capacity to produce suffering while also enabling resistance, emphasizing Ambedkar’s challenge to caste, exclusion, and juridical violence. Published by Oxford: OUP.

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In this contribution, Baxi engages with themes central to William Twining’s scholarship. He reflects on law’s ethical and global dimensions, emphasizing pluralism, contextual reasoning, and the responsibilities of legal theory in an interconnected world. Published by Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.