KDEC 6035 - Person, personhood : a comparative study

This course will be an inquiry into the relationship of the law to the person in multiple legal contexts and in a comparative perspective. With a particular focus on French and American law, our investigation will discover whether the concept of the person in Western legal cultures always exists outside of the concept of personhood. After exploring constitutional and international human rights references to the person, our comparative survey will look into a variety of fields where the person interacts in situations which determine questions of performative identity and fundamental rights. New issues concerning institutional racism, artificial intelligence and algorithms, bioethics, environmental, demographic and social change will allow us to re-examine legal norms on the right to dignity, the right to be forgotten, guardianship of the person, reproductive rights of women, personality rights, commercial rights linked to the body, transgender identity as well as workplace issues (sexual harassment), procedural issues and the personal status of corporations and of nature.

None.

Twelve sessions of 2 hours.

Continuous assessment : 100% of the final grade.

Assessment : 50% Paper (7 pages minimum, 10 pages if tandem with other student) on a recent case with 5 minute pitch on research question for last class.

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50% Class commitment during the semester :

1)Class Engagement : participation,

2)Written Comment Before Every Class on reading (Required),

3)Choice of one Controversy (oral debate)