ULEC
2862

Law & Social Change

University Curriculum: University Curriculum

Liberal Arts
Undergraduate Course
Degree Students
Law & Social Change
Fall 2024
Taught By: Chase Madar
Section: L

CRN: 13964

Credits: 0

This course is an introduction to the world of law from a critical and interdisciplinary perspective. Law is a central political and social institution that structures our world. At the same, its knowledge is generally restricted to specialists who are trained in its particular technicalities and jargon. Instead of a narrow technical discipline, the course is designed to make students understand law as a part of our wider social and political world, in an interdisciplinary and critical manner. It is motivated by the conviction that a familiarity with the structure and operation of law is necessary to develop an understanding of how that political and social world is constructed, as well as a resource for engaging with it. It offers students a basic familiarity with the history and structure of the legal system, and its relationship to major social and political forces. Combining critical texts with practical engagement, this course will hone students’ ability to utilize, challenge and develop legal instruments in an effort to prepare them to be agents of social change. The course is divided into three parts. The first part would explore the history of law and its particular categories, and their relationship with major historical processes like capitalism and colonialism. The second part would provide an overview of the four major areas of law – constitutions, property, crimes, and international law – and their relationship with major social and political institutions and processes. The third part of the course would focus in more detail on a few significant issues of contemporary relevance – e.g., climate change, human rights, gender violence, migration – and their relationship to law. This is also the part where a special focus would be on introducing students to activist lawyering practices in the area based in New York City, and through them explore ways in which law can be both an obstacle to and an instrument of projects of social and political change. Students must register for both the lecture and discussion section of this course. [This ULEC is in category 1, Tools for Social Change.]

College: University Curriculum (UL)

Department: University Curriculum (UNIV)

Campus: New York City (GV)

Course Format: Lecture (L)

Modality: In-Person

Max Enrollment: 100

Add/Drop Deadline: September 9, 2024 (Monday)

Online Withdrawal Deadline: November 17, 2024 (Sunday)

Seats Available: Yes

Status: Closed*

* Status information is updated every few minutes. The status of this course may have changed since the last update. Open seats may have restrictions that will prevent some students from registering. Updated: 2:24am EDT 10/9/2024

Meeting Info:
Days: Monday
Times: 10:15am - 11:30am
Building: Eugene Lang 65 W11th
Room: 500
Date Range: 8/26/2024 - 12/15/2024