A convergence of legal pluralism and legal realism to expound legal epistemology

This chapter argues in favour of adopting a combined prism of legal pluralism and legal realism for the benefit of legal epistemology. In the context of the transfer of legal knowledge, it argues that coupling legal pluralism with legal realism may capture the operational dynamics of legal knowledge better than relying on pure doctrinalism. The chapter's discourse seeks to re-examine the entrenched institutional assumptions and practices that scaffold the production and dissemination of legal knowledge. By co-evaluating the socio-political, economic, and historical dynamics inherent in the formation and employment of legal knowledge as offered through a compound lens of a nuanced combination of legal realism and pluralism, more facets of law can be seen. The chapter also probes the epistemological inquiries that inform the reading and interpretation of legal texts, shedding light on the intricate interplay between legal knowledge, language, and contextual understanding. Through navigating the methodological pathways of legal pluralism and legal realism, this chapter aims to help the transfer of information within inquiries in law within the evolving tableau of legal education and practice.