Law and Society
Course Title: Law and Society
Day and Time: Thursdays, 6:30pm - 9:30pm
This course provides a rigorous and comparative examination of legal systems and rights mobilization, offering students a deep exploration of civil rights, social movements, and legal frameworks across different societies. The course follows a clear and structured progression, beginning with foundational legal theories before expanding into comparative case studies on how rights claims are shaped by cultural, political, and institutional contexts. This course also covers foundational political theories that have shaped the formation and evolution of the United States government. Students will gain a nuanced understanding of how legal institutions both reinforce and challenge societal structures. Through a combination of lectures, readings, research assignments, and experiential learning opportunities, students will critically analyze the role of law in social change and the dynamic relationship between law and political power. The course culminates in research presentations and analytical writing assignments, ensuring students engage both in theoretical debates and applied case studies.
Chelsea Jones
Chelsea N. Jones is a research fellow and manager in the Brennan Center’s Democracy Program, specializing in voting rights, elections, and redistricting. Her research focuses on the racialized impact of restrictive voting laws, racial representation in U.S. elections, and the impacts of sociocultural institutions, such as churches and community organizations, that work to mobilize voters of color.
