Courses
PSCI 100/Law, Politics and Society
The course gives an overview of the entire legal system, the interaction between the different legal and political institutions and some of the more controversial issues in law and politics. There are four main parts of the course. The first part of the course deals with jurisprudence (theories of law); the second part focuses on legal institutions, namely courts, legal education, lawyers and juries; the third part identifies certain key issues and debates that have pervaded the legal lives of U.S. and non U.S. societies; and the fourth section concerns an assessment of the role of law and courts in politics and society.
PSCI 101/Civil Liberties
An intensive investigation of the struggle within our legal system over the interpretation of the Bill of Rights. Reviews relevant cases and resulting opinions. Examines the behavior of the justices as well as issues involving the impact of and compliance with the court's decisions.
PSCI 196/Constitutional Law and Civil Rights
This course examines the structure and functioning of the United States Supreme Court the theories about judicial decision making, and legal and political debates on civil rights. Following the discussions on judicial review, federalism and separation of powers, the course will look historically on the U.S. Supreme Court's interpretation of the equal protection clause in relation to race, gender, culture, and immigration among other issues. Discussion will focus not only on landmark cases in constitutional law but also on the ways in which other legal actors, such as lawyers and interest groups, play a role in determining the nature and outcome of cases. We will look throughout at the relationship between law and politics as well as at the socio-cultural context in which judicial decisions are made.