Law and Literature

3 Credits · Level: Undergraduate

Law and Literature offers us the opportunity to consider the impact of law on those Othered by our society, to obtain an empathetic understanding of how law affects those who are most marginalized—the poor and powerless; racial minorities, prisoners; drug addicts, immigrants, and Native Americans. The readings range from canonical texts (Antigone, Merchant of Venice) to science fiction to Outsider fiction by prisoners and drug addicts. Many of the readings are by African American authors and are relevant to the Black Lives Matter Movement. We will also consider some outstanding film adaptations related to the assigned texts. The texts examined here invite us to consider important questions of public policy and criminal law, including civil disobedience, collateral damage in war, the insanity defense, domestic abuse, and the death penalty.