LAW 405—Law and Social Change

Because law is deeply implicated in our political, economic, and social worlds, pursuit of social change invariably involves an engagement with law. In this course, students will grapple with the ways law has been used to both effect social change and oppose it, with particular emphasis on the limits of the law as a tool for social change. Over the course of the semester, students will study the legal aspects of both historical and on-going campaigns for social change. Specific campaigns will include the campaigns for free speech, civil rights, women’s rights, and gay rights, as well as conservative campaigns in favor of religious liberty and in opposition to affirmative action. Discussion may include examples drawn from other countries, such as Gandhi’s campaign for independence in India or the campaign against apartheid in South Africa. Students will also study the ethical responsibilities of lawyers as activists, and various strategies used by groups in power to oppose a campaign for change.