DSOC 27A21 - Law & Society: understanding interdisciplinarity within theories & practices of socio-legal studies

This interdisciplinary course will familiarize students with law, legal theories, legal institutions, and legal behavior within social contexts. The course offers students a

specialized understanding of the areas of law in action, the different forms of law, law and justice within the crossroads of gender, class, race, and the actors and processes involved in socio-legal scholarship. In our classes, we will engage with the theoretical foundations and empirical analysis of law from a North-American, but also a global perspective. We will discuss questions such as - why we follow legal rules, if and how the law impacts our everyday lives, how legal practices differ in different sociocultural contexts, and how various life conditions affect our understanding, use, and experiences of the law. As the final exam is the submission of an interdisciplinary empirical research project on a ‘law in action’ situation, over the course of the semester, students will be prepared for socio-legal research as well.

• Class preparedness, participation, and in-class activities. 20%
• Mid-term: Multiple choice exam conducted in class on week 6. All readings, class discussions, and slides until week 5 are included in this exam. 20%
• Final exam: A case study report where students will have to analyze a ‘law in action’ situation. Students can either conduct interview/s or observation/s and documentary analyses of law in action situations based on the themes covered in the class and submit a short report. A part of this submission also includes an oral exam conducted in weeks 11 and 12 during class. The specific elements for this submission will be further discussed in class. 60%