Course Catalog

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Course Catalog

THE HISTORICAL FOUNDATIONS OF LAW (LW2020)

This course is designed to introduce students to the historical foundations of legal thought and to cultivate literacy in legal reasoning. The course provides an essential resource for our future global citizens by exploring key legal texts, histories and cases and familiarizing students with the historical origins of key contemporary legal issues.

INTRO. TO HISTORY, LAW & SOCIETY (LW2030)

What role does law play in shaping society? How have courts shaped society, both domestically and internationally? What strategies have people taken to resist unjust laws? Students engage in weekly moot courts that survey gripping historical and contemporary cases, including fugitive slave laws, the death penalty and criminal justice, hate speech, transgender rights, and issues relating to immigration, including asylum and deportation. Readings come from history, literature, sociology, and legal opinions. By the end of this course, students will be able to apply critical approaches to the law to contemporary issues; perform a mock trial, from start to finish; and write persuasive and analytically rigorous papers that demonstrate interdisciplinary thinking.

THE EU & ITS DISCONTENTS: BUSINESS, ENVIRNMT, RIGHTS (LW2033)

As in the US, European governance is modeled on capitalism, rights, and democracy. European nations and the European Union, however, approach these topics distinctly. This course, with a focus on the European Union and France in comparative perspective to the US, explores contemporary challenges across three foundational policy fields: governance and citizenship; the environment; and business. Faculty experts and guest lecturers work closely with students to understand the contradictory mechanisms at work in these three policy spheres, querying which political strategies are best adapted for the successful future consolidation of Europe. The aim of the course is to provide students with a sophisticated understanding of European policy modeling and contemporary challenges to the European Union.

TOPICS IN LAW (LW2091)

TOPICS VARY BY SEMESTER

TOPICS IN LAW (LW2091)

Topics vary by semester

GLOBAL JUSTICE (LW3019)

Is it unjust that there are huge economic inequalities between people of different countries? If so, who is responsible for rectifying these injustices? Should individuals enjoy the liberty to move freely across countries? How fair is free trade? The course explores these and other questions of global justice from philosophical and social-scientific perspectives.

GENDER, LAW, AND IDENTITY (LW3022)

Will investigate the various ways in which gendered norms of identity are defined, constructed, enforced, managed and even adjudicated through the narratives that inform and produce our social and legal realties. Class readings will include works by Judith Butler, Wendy Brown, Drucilla Cornell, Kimberlé Crenshaw, Nancy Fraser, Michel Foucault, Angela Harris, Nivedita Menon, and Denise da Silva, among others.

INTERNAT'L HUMAN RIGHTS LAW (LW3041)

International human rights law established the norms, jurisprudence and legal infrastructure necessary to promote the implementation of international human rights standards. This course introduces key substantive and institutional issues and explores the establishment of standards, international human rights treaties, their implementation mechanisms and the expanding body of jurisprudence that make up this discipline at the crossroads of law and development.

INTERNATIONAL LAW (LW3061)

Covers the formal structure of the international legal order; sources, uses and dynamics of law in international relations; use of force, war crimes; the status and functions of states, governments, international organizations, companies, and individuals; law of the sea, environment, jurisdiction, aliens, human rights, the diplomatic process and its protection, and treaties. Discusses theory and future directions of international law. This course is crosslisted with Politics.

LEGAL ENVIRONMENT OF BUSINESS (LW3075)

Students will examine the legal process and the legal environment within which business must operate, as well as the interrelationship of government and business. Students develop an understanding of the methods by which legal decisions are formulated as they affect both individual rights and business transactions.