Chinese Law, Politics and Society Seminar

3 units

Drop deadline: 11:59 p.m. on the day after the first class meeting. This seminar examines the contemporary legal system of the People’s Republic of China. The focus will be on top-down efforts at legal reforms as well as grassroots encounters with “everyday law” to understand how law on the books interacts with law in action. Topics include, among others, the historical evolution of Chinese legal institutions, the Party-State, regulatory governance, judicial decision-making, the legal profession, legal consciousness and legitimacy, and China’s engagement with the international order. In addition to treating law as a window onto Chinese politics and society, the seminar will treat China as a window onto broader theoretical questions about law and authoritarianism, sociopolitical change, and economic development. Though helpful, no prior knowledge of Chinese history, law, or politics is required. All course materials will be in English. To facilitate discussion, laptops may not be used in class (except where required for accommodations). Grades will be based on class participation, short reading responses, and a longer final paper. [BCCCR requirement: this course contains 3 hours of BCCCR instruction.]