This article introduces the conflictual theory of law as a new way of understanding laws as struggles over meaning, in which actors create and circulate social knowledge to justify their interpretation of rights. The theory addresses law-production processes and underlying knowledge/power constructs, for example, in legislative deliberations and interactions between politicians and the media. It shares pragmatist commitments to a highly participative version of democracy, attained through the active involvement of all members of society in democratic processes and rejects claims of universally applicable legal “truths” in favour of the constant (re)negotiation of laws between members immediately affected by a law. Pragmatism’s antifoundationalism challenges the dualism between citizens and non-citizens, facilitating the inclusion of the latter in legislative deliberations.

本文介绍了法律冲突理论，将冲突理论作为一种理解法律为意义斗争的新方式，参与者在其中创造和传播社会知识以证明其权利解释的合理性。该理论涉及法律产生过程和潜在的知识/权力构造，例如，在立法审议中以及政治人物与媒体之间的互动中。它对高度参与性的民主有共同的实用主义承诺，这是通过社会所有成员积极参与民主进程而实现的，并反对主张普遍适用的法律“真相”的主张，而主张立即受影响的成员之间不断（重新）谈判法律根据法律。实用主义的反基础主义挑战了公民与非公民之间的二元论，