2COURSEOVERVIEWTraditional approaches to studying the law, such as those found in law schools, use a vocational perspective,emphasizing skills like advocating for a client or drafting a legal document. This class takes a differentapproach by providing an interdisciplinary exploration of law’s relationship to contemporary society. To dothis, we will consider how law shapes, and is shaped by, the social, political, and cultural contexts in which itexists. We will examine a host of topics, including the following: What is law? Who makes law? How dojudges make decisions? What is law’s relationship to society? How are laws enforced? Can law changesociety? How does law treat issues of race and ethnicity, social class, gender, sexual orientation, andnationality? How is law represented in popular culture?LEARNINGGOALSThis course is intended to foster analytical and critical skills and to discuss broad, interdisciplinary questionsof individual responsibility, social morality, and justice, preparing students for a lifetime of learning aboutand questioning the role of law in society. The readings, lectures, films, class discussion, papers, quizzes, andexaminations are designed to meet core general education goals, including:•addressing fundamental questions, ideas, and methods of analysis in the social sciences•using analytical, quantitative, qualitative, and critical thinking to frame questions, synthesizeinformation, and develop awareness of the relationships among culture, self, and others•
