Study

From politics to popular culture, the corporation has become one of the most critical economic, political, and cultural institutions of the modern era.  It has also been one of the most controversial.  Are corporations people, societies, or even governments? Do they have rights? If so, what are their civic, social, ethical, and political responsibilities? If such questions are vexing within municipal and national contexts, they have been downright confounding for international legal regimes.  Corporations have a global footprint and influence on our conceptions of sovereignty and governance, the functioning of international markets, the nature of interstate relations, wealth distribution, international development, and, at a basic level, the lives of people around the world. Yet modern international law has generally been understood to apply almost exclusively to states and to touch only lightly on corporate institutions, with profound consequences for everything from human rights to the global environment. This course will address these questions and many others, both through our own readings and discussions, as well as frequent guest speakers, panels, and workshops, in conjunction with a year-long Mellon Foundation funded Sawyer Seminar.

Special Notes:

*Note: JD/LLMs Have Priority

Spring 2018

Course Number	Course Credits	Evaluation Method	Instructor
566B.01	Course Credits 3	Reflective Writing Research and/or analytical paper(s), 10-15 pages Class participation	Rachel Brewster
Sakai site: https://sakai.duke.edu/portal/site/LAW.566B.01.Sp18
Email list: LAW.566B.01.Sp18@sakai.duke.edu