LAWS 2087 ‑ General Jurisprudence

CREDIT HOURS: 3

Course Description:

The Jurisprudence seminar is designed to promote reflection on the nature, purposes, and functions of law. Questions explored include: "What is the relationship between law, morality and politics?", "What is the relationship between law and social change?", "Should we obey the law?", and "Whom does law serve?" We pursue these and other questions, in a way that is informed by students’ interests and experiences and by attention to contemporary legal, social and political dilemmas. Students are exposed to an array of approaches to legal theory in social context, from legal positivism, natural law, and the American Legal Realists to some or all of: law and economics, critical legal studies, feminist legal theory, queer theory, critical race theory, critical Indigenous theory, critical race feminism, critical disability theory, and various combinations of the foregoing. Each view of the law will be analyzed carefully and students will be expected to contribute their own critical insights. A high level of participation is therefore essential. In addition to regular contributions to discussions, students will be required to make presentations. 

FORMAT COMMENTS: 2 hours per week

Prerequisite(s): None.
Co-requisite(s): None.
Assessment Method: Combination of major paper and class participation.
Restrictions: None.