Marc Galanter was elected chairperson of the Commission on Legal Pluralism at the Bellagio symposium in September 1981, following the retirement of Dr Geert van der Steenhoven. As noted in the Commission’s archival records (Current Anthropology, IUAES Newsletter CLP, vol 23 no 4: 467f) and confirmed by subsequent correspondence, he served as President from 1981 until 1984, when Gordon Woodman succeeded him (serving from 1984 to 1990). He has been described, notably by Fons Strijbosch, as the Commission’s first “real” chairperson, reflecting the formative role he played in shaping its intellectual direction and institutional identity.
Galanter’s work has had a lasting influence on the development of legal pluralism as a field of study. His scholarship consistently challenged state-centred conceptions of law and demonstrated the extent to which legal ordering takes place across a range of social settings. In his well-known article, “Justice in Many Rooms: Courts, Private Ordering, and Indigenous Law” (Journal of Legal Pluralism(open new window), 1981), he showed that dispute resolution is not confined to formal courts but occurs through multiple institutions and processes, an insight that has become foundational for legal pluralist analysis.
A central feature of Galanter’s work was its comparative orientation. His research in India, including his landmark study Competing Equalities: Law and the Backward Classes in India (Oxford University Press, 1991), examined the interaction between formal legal frameworks and social structures such as caste. These studies highlighted the complexity of law in context and contributed to a broader understanding of how legal systems operate within plural normative environments.
Galanter also made significant contributions to the study of litigation and inequality. His widely cited article, “Why the ‘Haves’ Come Out Ahead: Speculations on the Limits of Legal Change” (Law and Society Review(open new window), 1974), analysed the structural advantages that shape legal outcomes, while his broader body of work explored the relationship between formal legal institutions and informal practices.
As part of the early generation of scholars associated with the law and society movement, Galanter played an important role in shaping the intellectual context in which the Commission on Legal Pluralism emerged. Through his scholarship and his leadership of the Commission during its formative years, he helped establish legal pluralism as a central perspective for understanding law across diverse social and cultural settings.
Marc Galanter remained committed to the Commission throughout his life. He continued to participate in its activities long after his presidency, with his last attendance at a Commission conference recorded in 2015 in Mumbai. This enduring engagement reflects both his intellectual dedication and his personal connection to the community of scholars working in the field.
The Commission on Legal Pluralism extends its condolences to his family, colleagues, and the wider scholarly community. His work will continue to inform and inspire research in legal pluralism for many years to come.
For a broader account of his life and contributions, see the obituary published by the Law and Society Association: https://www.lawandsociety.org/2026/04/17/lsa-mourns-the-loss-of-former-president-marc-galanter/