Contemporary legal thought 700
Not offered in 1995
One 2-hour seminar weekly over 13 weeks
The aim of this subject is to introduce graduate students to a wide range of philosophical and theoretical issues which preoccupy contemporary legal thought and affect the agenda for scholarly legal research. The range of topics to be considered reflects the increasingly interdisciplinary nature of legal scholarship. Topics recently covered in this subject have included liberalism and the rule of law, Niklas Luhmann's social systems theory, John Rawl's theory of justice, Marxist legal theory, feminist legal theory, critical legal studies, Roberto Unger, Michel Foucault, law and geography, Robert Cover, Stanley Fish and interpretive social science. In each class, the themes of rights, the rule of law and legal practice are used to interrogate the topic under consideration.
Assessment
Written research assignment (4500-5000 words): 45% * Take-home examination: 45% * Class participation: 10%