Law & Society

STSO-2700

There ought to be a law. . ." Law shapes people's lives in countless ways; it is everywhere. Law permits, prohibits, enables, legitimizes, protects, and prosecutes. Law is more than the written word, the "black letter law." People make the law—judges, attorneys, police officers, legislators, defendants, and plaintiffs. This course will explore the law's social, political, cultural, and historical aspects. Using an interdisciplinary approach, the course will examine how social theorists conceptualize and explain the relationship between law and society. Students will be exposed to the theoretical frameworks that are used to examine how the law shapes society, and society shapes the law, and develop an understanding of the social processes that affect the legal system. The course will advance students' capacity to think critically and communicate effectively about themes, concepts, and arguments surrounding the law and learn what law is; where it comes from; who creates it; and what roles it plays in shaping society.

Past Term Data