OAFP 9435 - Law and Art: Legal debates represented in art

This course will explore fundamental debates and ideas about law (the meaning of law, justice and inequality, discrimination, human rights, peace and transitional justice) as represented in and intersection with artistic forms such as paintings, cinema, and literature. The goal is for students to understand the role, possibilities, and limitations of law through art.

The specific pedagogical goals of this course will be the following:

• Acquire knowledge regarding law, how it works as well as its role in society
• Apply this knowledge autonomously and critically to artistic representations regarding law and its functioning, definitions of justice, the achievement of peace or the content of reparations.
• Develop tools to write an individual academic essay in terms of language, structure, voice and referencing.
• Strengthen the skills to develop sophisticated, structured, well- articulated argumentative claims.
• Translate ideas into oral interventions and final project presentations in class debates
• Synthesize class discussions and readings in a final project

None

This course is designed to promote autonomous learning. This means that an important portion of each session will be dedicated to in class discussions and the collective thinking of issues. For this reason, previous reading, viewing of movies, exhibit visits is mandatory. Class participation is highly recommended

This course is designed to promote autonomous learning. This means that an important portion of each session will be dedicated to in class discussions and the collective thinking of issues. For this reason, previous reading, viewing of movies, exhibit visits is mandatory. Class participation is highly recommended.

Starting on week 2, a group of students will write an individual reaction essay of the readings. This reaction essay must be no longer than 1500 words. It should include an introduction where the author discusses an idea or set of ideas of the readings that are controversial, interesting, or related in some way to contemporary discussions in the geographical location of their choice. It should also incorporate a body of a few paragraphs where the main idea is developed, as well as a conclusion. The text must be uploaded in moodle by midnight the Sunday prior to the course session. Essay topics will be assigned the first day of class. Students should be prepared to share their essay ideas with the class during the session. This essay will represent 20% of the grade.

Students who are not writing a reaction essay for the session must send five to six sentences that ask a question or propose a discussion regarding the readings, this may include a direct quote from the readings they would like to discuss. The sum of these will represent 40% of the grade. These texts are due Sunday at midnight before the class and must be uploaded on moodle.

There will be a final project that will be developed in groups of maximum 3 students (if students want to advance an individual project they may do so after approval from the professors). The proposed content of the project should be handed in on February 26 according to guidelines that will be discussed in class. This final project can take the form of a video, podcast or art exhibit and will be presented during the last session of the class. This project will represent 40% of the grade.

Grading summary

Bonus: Students who consistently participate in class discussions, demonstrating in depth reading skills as well as high levels of engagement with the themes of the course will receive a bonus that will raise their final grade from .5 to 1 point according to individual performance.

Starting on week 2, a group of students will write an individual reaction essay of the readings. This reaction essay must be no longer than 1500 words. It should include an introduction where the author discusses an idea or set of ideas of the readings that are controversial, interesting, or related in some way to contemporary discussions in the geographical location of their choice. It should also incorporate a body of a few paragraphs where the main idea is developed, as well as a conclusion. The text must be uploaded in moodle by midnight the Sunday prior to the course session. Essay topics will be assigned the first day of class. Students should be prepared to share their essay ideas with the class during the session. This essay will represent 20% of the grade.

Students who are not writing a reaction essay for the session must send five to six sentences that ask a question or propose a discussion regarding the readings, this may include a direct quote from the readings they would like to discuss. The sum of these will represent 40% of the grade. These texts are due Sunday at midnight before the class and must be uploaded on moodle.

There will be a final project that will be developed in groups of maximum 3 students (if students want to advance an individual project they may do so after approval from the professors). The proposed content of the project should be handed in on February 26 according to guidelines that will be discussed in class. This final project can take the form of a video, podcast or art exhibit and will be presented during the last session of the class. This project will represent 40% of the grade.