Legal Studies 290C - Law and Consumerism

This course is intended for students interested in understanding modern economic activity with an emphasis on consumption. Rather than taking traditional sociological or economic approaches, this course situates consumption historically as an outcome of law and policy. The first third of the course delves into different explanations of consumption practices. From self-identity and group boundary-making, this section explores how legal rules, economic conditions, and social inequalities shape the way individuals and groups make decisions about what they buy. We then zoom out to explore how the modern American consumer came to be. Here we will be analyzing the legal institutions that shape retail practices, the emergence of ?consumers? as political entities, and the sociolegal origins of a rise in debt. The last part of the course delves into the aggregate consequences of modern consumption practices. We will explore the policy consequences of consumption-friendly laws and regulations, as well as their environmental, equity, and credit implications.

LEGAL 101