World Legal Systems

This course is a broad overview of the world's major legal traditions. We will examine indigenous or customary law, ancient law (especially Roman law), and some of the more important legal systems in use today. Although time constraints will limit our treatment of these various legal traditions, we will cover the basic principles and the most salient features of each one, hoping in this way to gain a greater appreciation of the strengths and weaknesses of our own machinery of justice. This course is offered as part of the summer study abroad program in Bologna, Itlay. The course is not offered every year.