This course is part of the Political Science and Legal Studies Undergraduate Research Engagement Program (UREP). When possible, student interests are paired with faculty in need of research assistance. Please visit the Political Science department website for information.

This course is part of the Political Science and Legal Studies Undergraduate Research Engagement Program (UREP). When possible, student interests are paired with faculty in need of research assistance. Please visit the Political Science department website for information.

This course is part of the Political Science and Legal Studies Undergraduate Research Engagement Program (UREP). When possible, student interests are paired with faculty in need of research assistance. Please visit the Political Science department website for information.

How do global processes give rise to legal change? Globalization is changing the contours of law and creating new global institutions and norms. This course takes an interdisciplinary approach to studying globalization, its relation to law, and the social, cultural and political changes that result.

This course focuses on the U.S. Supreme Court and its rulings regarding sex and sexuality. What has the Court said about what type of sexual activity or sexual relationships are constitutionally protected and how and why has this changed over time? What is or should be the Court?s role in weighing in on these most intimate issues? We will examine several hot button issues such as reproduction (sterilization/contraception/abortion); marriage (polygamous/interracial/same sex); pornography/obscenity; sodomy; sexual assault on college campuses; and sex education in public schools.

Over the past two decades, nonprofit organizations and social justice activists around the world have adopted human rights frameworks, strategies and tools to advance their goals. At the international level, Oxfam and Action Aid, for example, have embraced human rights-based approaches to their work. National and local nonprofit organizations and activists from Vermont, Peru, South Africa and India have also discovered that human rights provide a legitimate and coherent framework for analyzing public policy and organizing people to demand social justice.

This course involves in-depth study of the topic of human trafficking, often referred to as "modern day slavery." The course will explore the definition of the crime of human trafficking in the United States and internationally, and study the debates surrounding anti-trafficking laws and policies. We will examine the similarities and differences between slavery and human trafficking in the popular imagination and the law.

The course will deal with issues that are unique to each of the respective trial courts. Case studies will address the manner in which disputes are resolved by trial or settlement. Some of the issues to be examined are sex offender registration requirements, termination of parental rights, sexually dangerous person proceedings and administrative agency appeals. The course will also focus on the equitable jurisdiction of the courts as well as an introduction into real property rights including the right, or lack thereof, to access beachfront property.

This course will explore the history, purpose, procedure and practice of specialty or problem-solving courts (e.g. drug treatment courts, mental health courts, veteran's treatment courts) in the American criminal justice system in general and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in particular. Students will be required to read and discuss articles, studies, manuals, reports, etc., related to the topic. Students will also be giving opportunity to observe local specialty court sessions (in person or virtually) and then discuss their observations.

Not available at this time