Law is a system of rules created and enforced by social or governmental institutions to regulate behavior. Its precise definition is a matter of longstanding debate. A key tenet is that laws must be transparent in their creation and enforcement and fair in their application. Laws are the source of many scholarly inquiries, including legal history, philosophy, economic analysis and sociology.
Whether the field is criminal law (concerning offenses against society) or civil law (disputes between individuals), the study of law encompasses almost every area of human activity. Some of the most important subfields are air law; bankruptcy; business law; carriage of goods; contract; civil procedure; constitutional law; family law; inheritance law; marine law; medical jurisprudence; property law; and tax law.
Law is an ancient and diverse discipline. In some societies, the laws were written down and codified by the government through a legislative process; in others, they were simply judge-made decisions based on common sense and tradition. Today, the laws of many countries are based on both civil and common law traditions, with signs that civil and common law are converging. The field of law is a major focus of research and debate in political science, history, philosophy, sociology, economics and theology. It is also a foundation for a range of professional fields, such as criminology, forensic science and international relations. Increasingly, the field is concerned with issues of globalization and human rights.