The approach
This book traverses the broad spectrum of legal systems found in Asia as seen through the eyes of each author derived from his or her own experiences, research and reflective analysis.
Although the same eight core topics are covered, the individual perspectives shine through, making each chapter authentic, distinctive and vibrant. The authors were not constrained to give equal weight to each section or to traverse the same issues but were to focus their analysis around these key features of the legal system under study. In this way, the eight core components form the skeleton on which each author can describe and evaluate that nation's laws and legal institutions. These core components also provide the foundation for comparative analysis between these nations and also for comparison with other countries outside the region. Each chapter commences with an introduction to set the scene and to highlight key aspects of that nation, before moving to a discussion of the historical development and context of the country's legal system; the sources of law and legal traditions; the key legal institutions including law-making, adjudication and other processes; the legal culture that underpins those institutions and the prevailing attitudes to law and institutions; the key actors in the legal system - the legal professionals; and new directions, initiatives or key themes that have emerged.3