Legal Studies

This course examines contemporary theories of justice such as those of Sen, Rawls, and Dworkin in the light of the distinction between theory and practice that we inherit from Aristotle. Of particular interest are those approaches to modern political problems that combine the unique insights that emerge from a sensitivity to conceptual history with the unquestionable moral progress that is owed to the ethical outlook of modern democracy.

This course covers the basic principles and research methods of constitutional law. It provides a study of the Constitution of China and the basic theory of the Constitution of Marxism. It covers the history, development, and practical application of The Constitution of China.

This course examines the parameters of the youth crime "problem" and the function of the Youth Justice System, while introducing a range of theories examining why young people engage in delinquent behaviors. Lectures explore key issues associated with young people, such as drug use, anti-social behavior, and gang membership.

This course provides an introduction to the criminology discipline. First, the development of the discipline is examined; then the discipline through a thematic approach is reviewed. Next, the course goes into several criminological thematic areas, such as property crime, white-collar crime, violent crime, state and corporate crime, and transnational organized crime. Moreover, the course peaks into penology, victimology, and government reactions to crime. The course places these criminal phenomena in the contemporary late modern context and their significance for understanding current crime and crime policy discourses as they appear, for example, in the media. The course also reviews social scientific ways of doing research, common in criminology, and students learn to connect empirical data to criminological concepts, on a basic level. Finally, participants learn to understand and analyze English scientific texts, write a social scientific paper, argue in a scientific manner, and read media messages critically.

Discussion and study of various fascinating and controversial cases involving the concept of “Law and Order.” The cases are mostly actual criminal cases, but some may be hypotheticals or actual civil cases as well. Drawing upon 32 years of experience as a judge and prosecutor, the instructor will portray a real exciting array of cases to study, and students will get to make actual arguments from both prosecutor and defense positions.