Matthew S. Erie, an anthropologist and a lawyer, is an associate professor of Modern Chinese Studies at the University of Oxford. His earlier works on law and society have appeared in publications such as Law and Social Inquiry, the Hong Kong Law Journal, and the Oxford Encyclopedia of Islamic Law. He has lived and studied in China and the Middle East, and has practiced law in New York City and Beijing.

• Introduction: the Party-State enters the mosque; 1. History, the Chinese state, and Islamic law; 2. Linxia at the crossroads; 3. Ritual lawfare; 4. Learning the law; 5. Wedding laws; 6. Moral economies; 7. Procedural justice; Conclusion: law, minjian, and the ends of anthropology.

'China, Islam, law: three major forces shaping our world encounter each other in the offices, mosques, and courtrooms of Linxia. We are fortunate to have Matthew S. Erie there to observe, record, and translate the negotiation and accommodations. If you are interested in one of the three forces mentioned above, you ought to read this book; if you are interested in any two, you must do so. A path-breaking achievement.' Tom Ginsburg, Leo Spitz Professor of International Law, University of Chicago Law School