Study

This course explores the field of comparative legal studies by inquiring into what it means to compare one legal system with one another, as well as how to determine what ought to count as a legal system in the first place. The study is historical, ranging from the ancient emergence of the Hindu, Confucian, and Roman legal families, to the medieval traditions of Jewish, Islamic, and Canon jurisprudence, and into modernity. From the Renaissance forward, the course investigates several frameworks, including common law, civil law, theocracy, and indigeneity, and the ways in which these legal frameworks transformed in the contexts of nineteenth century imperialism and twentieth century decolonization.  Students will be evaluated on class participation and a 30-research paper. 

Fall 2023

Course Number	Course Credits	Evaluation Method	Instructor
218.01	Course Credits 3	Research and/or analytical paper Class participation	Justin Desautels-Stein
Sakai site: https://sakai.duke.edu/portal/site/LAW-218-01-F23
Email list: LAW-218-01-F23@sakai.duke.edu