History and Philosophy Of Law

Students will explore the historical, moral and cultural basis of legal concepts to understand the law as a social institution. Examining the differences among various schools of thought and comparing approaches to jurisprudence will provide students with an opportunity to assess the tension between law as a protector of individual liberty and a tool of democratic self-rule. Students will analyze contemporary issues such as civil liberties, definitions of equality rights and the different approaches to the rule of law in understanding how law functions as a social institution differently for various populations.