LAWS208

This course explores several substantive areas of law, such as property law and family law, as well as the structure and functioning of the legal system, including litigation and some forms of alternative dispute resolution. The course also introduces students to the nature of legal research and writing, juxtaposing the epistemologies of law and the social sciences. Within law, legal theories and judicial philosophies vary from being compatible with to being indifferent to the social sciences. In recent history, two United States Supreme Court Justices have referred to social science research as gobbledygook. This highlights the potential clash between some legal and social science epistemologies. These differences will be reflected upon as students consider examples from multiple lenses. This course is required for the Law and Society major and also fulfills the general education requirement for Systems, Sustainability, and Society.