Law, Jurisp & Social Thought 383 - The Law and Cultural Economy of Debt

(Research Seminar) In this course, we will consider the entwined cultural and legal creation of debt. Through literature, film, and scholarship, we will trace how works of cultural production have imagined debt, mapping how relations of indebtedness manifest themselves in figurative and affective registers as much as economic ones—how, in other words, does the imperative to repay debt rely on the cultural meaning ascribed to feeling indebted? At the same time, we will engage with a variety of legal sources—including case law, statutes and regulations, administrative law guidance, and legal scholarship—to determine how this figurative economy influences the law and political economy of debt. Tracing the co-constitution of laws and cultural production through close attention to debt represents our primary task. Topics we will consider include the constitutional relationship between debt and money in the United States; administrative law challenges to student loan forgiveness programs; laws governing corporate bankruptcy procedures; and challenges to existing frameworks of sovereign debt in the international community. For each, we will discuss literature and films that illuminate how legal structures materialize debt’s fictions. Students will develop their own research projects related to debt, though these do not have to be in line with the topics listed above.

Limited to 15 students. Spring Semester. Professor Firmani.

How to handle overenrollment: Priority given to juniors and senior LJST Majors

Students who enroll in this course will likely encounter and be expected to engage in the following intellectual skills, modes of learning, and assessment: Students will be expected to engage in short writing assignments meant to improve written communication as well as an independent research project under the instructor's guidance.