Race, Religion, and the Family Seminar

3 units

Enrollment limit: 16. Drop deadline: 5:00pm the day after the first class meeting. This seminar examines how race and religion have influenced the development of U.S. family law and policy, focusing on the twentieth century. The seminar also serves as an introduction to the field of legal history; it considers the uses of historical arguments in legal, political, and public advocacy, as reflected in disputes over family law. Representative topics include laws requiring or permitting consideration of race or religion in marriage, child custody, adoption, and family-member immigration. Readings will include cases and other primary sources, historians' amicus briefs, legal and historical scholarship, and recent op-eds and news articles. Students will write short papers throughout the course, totaling approximately 20 pages. These assignments will allow students to select a mix of op-eds, briefs, book reviews, and other formats. The instructor will provide feedback on papers during the semester, so that students have the opportunity to improve their writing during the course. Students will be graded based on their papers and class participation.