Legal Theory and Legal History

The courses in this group teach students to think critically about the law from a variety of disciplinary perspectives. Students learn how to evaluate the law from political, moral, and economic perspectives. They learn how to explain and understand the law, from historical, sociological, economic, and cultural studies’ perspectives. Other courses lead students to a philosophical understanding of the nature of law, and how it relates to morality and to social power. What unites this diverse array of courses is that students are taught how to think about the law, as a crucial additional skill to that of being able to reason within the law. These learning outcomes are measured both by examinations and, most commonly, seminar papers that require students to show that they have acquired the ability to think originally about the law from one or more of the mentioned perspectives, having engaged in depth with the relevant scholarship.

Other Individual Course Learning Outcomes

Introduction to Political Philosophy (LAW-LW.11381)

Upon completion of this course students will have a thorough and integrated understanding of the major themes of Western political philosophy from Ancient Greece until the present. They will be able to examine, analyse, interpret, and assess critically arguments in political philosophy; be engaged participants in debates regarding emerging and contemporary issues in political theory; and be able to apply ideas from philosophical work in political theory to legal issues of continuing and newly emerging concern. These learning outcomes are measured by a closed-book, closed-computer examination.

Introduction to Ethical Theory (LAW-LW.11539)

Upon completion of this course students will have a thorough and integrated understanding of the major themes of Western moral philosophy. They will be able to examine, analyse, interpret, and assess critically arguments in moral philosophy; be engaged participants in debates regarding emerging and contemporary issues in moral theory; and be able to apply ideas from philosophical work in moral theory to legal issues of continuing and newly emerging concern. These learning outcomes are measured by a closed-book, closed-computer examination.

Private Law Theory Seminar (LAW-LW.11585)

Upon completion of this seminar students will have a thorough understanding of the major theoretical schools of thought concerning private law: property, contracts, and torts. They will be able to examine, analyse, interpret, and assess critically arguments about the normative foundations of these areas of law. They will be able to apply ideas from theoretical work on private law to contemporary doctrinal and policy disputes. They will also be able to develop their own theoretical approaches to such disputes and defend them with sustained argument. These learning outcomes are measured by an original seminar paper of about 6,000 words.

Colloquium in Legal, Political, and Social Philosophy (LAW-LW.10596)

Upon completion of this intensive and demanding course, students will be able to engage critically with cutting-edge new work in legal, political, and moral philosophy. From direct engagement with works-in-progress and their authors, students will acquire a deep understanding of the creative process involved in the production of articles and monographs in these areas. As a result, students will emerge much better equipped to make their own scholarly contributions. These learning outcomes are assessed by weekly reaction papers, two in-class presentations, class discussion, and an original seminar paper of about 6,000 words.