Course Description
601.636. US LEGAL THOUGHT (3 CREDITS) WI
LE: 10
This course will critically examine the major theoretical approaches to the study of law developed in the United States during the twentieth century. Topics may include Legal Realism, Legal Process, Law and Economics, Law and Society, Critical Legal Studies, Critical Race Theory, Feminist Legal Theory, and Conservative Legal Thought. For each school of thought, we will read and discuss excerpts from some of its foundational texts, gain some appreciation for the historical context in which it developed, and consider its continued relevance for contemporary legal debates. Students will be expected to complete all the readings and participate actively in class discussions. The class will meet for two hours each week. The third credit will be awarded for successful completion of a mandatory writing project focusing on one of the schools of thought, which will satisfy one of the two intensive writing experiences for the Graduation Writing Requirement.