Whilst the books reviewed here explicitly acknowledge that our understanding of the meaning and function of the rule of law remains limited, they certainly constitute progress in scholarship on the idea. In policy-making, as Heckman and Nelson put it ‘we continue to see value in pursuing a rule of law framework’ (p 13 Global Perspectives on the Rule of Law). By providing a range of critical insights into the rule of law in these two volumes, the editors both give us access to key debates in the field in accessible form and also ensure that the ideas explored by the authors will shape future research on the rule of law

The field of law and development has been a recognizable one for approximately a half-century. However, evaluations of the success of the law and development endeavor appear overwhelmingly negative. Failure of previous efforts of law and development do not appear to be due to a lack of either talent or money. Some of the world's best legal talent has been brought to bear on the problems, and very large sums of money have been spent. The failure appears rather to have been conceptual, as suggested by the need for an alternative theory. So some critical consideration appears necessary of the main underlying concepts which have driven law and development projects. Subsequent attention will be given to an alternative theory, that of sustainable diversity in law. The rule of law has historically been a useful concept in some parts of the world; it could well be replaced by the rule of laws.