Law and Society

Harry Hirsch, Professor of Politics

The Curricular Committee on Law and Society administers a cross-disciplinary Law and Society major, fosters the general study of issues regarding law and society throughout the college, and encourages public presentations by visiting scholars, jurists, and lawyers. The recommended core courses, core research seminars, and law-related courses explore philosophical, political, economic, historical, sociological, ethical, scientific, and religious issues that are central to understanding the role of law and legal institutions in society.

Core courses and seminars are selected with the following objectives in mind: 1) center on law and legal institutions directly; 2) explore the historical, philosophical, and ethical underpinnings of the development of law, thought, and institutions; and/or 3) provide the analytic skills necessary to understand the logic and bases of legal thinking as a language in legal institutions, the broader society, and the profession of law. Law-related courses have sections within them that meet at least one of the three objectives listed above or provide students an opportunity to write a term paper in which the scholarly issues of the course may be applied to legal institutions, thought, and/or the logic of legal inquiry.

Information About Declaration of a Major/Minor and Current Committee Members

Students wishing to discuss the Law and Society major, obtain a list of current curricular committee members, or to gain approval for the major or minor, should contact Professor Harry Hirsch, Chair, Law and Society Curricular Committee, Department of Politics, Rice 209. Law and Society majors must complete the College’s Major Declaration Form which can be picked up at the Academic Advising Resource Center/Registrar’s Office in Carnegie. Prof. Hirsch can be reached at: Phone: 440-775-6855. Email: harry.hirsch@oberlin.edu.

Major

The major consists of at least 9 full courses, of which no more than 1 full course may be taken at the introductory level. Requirements include: a minimum of three core introductory and intermediate courses; at least 5 additional core and/or law-related courses; and at least one core research seminar. No more than 5 of the first 9 courses in the major may be taken in one department. Core courses and seminar(s) must be chosen from at least three departments, and no more than 3 full courses may be taken away from campus.

In the research seminar, students must complete a research paper of 12-15 pp (minimum). An approved private reading course may be substituted for a research seminar, so long as a research paper is completed. Alternatively, students may substitute a half-course connected to an internship together with a private reading half-course, so long as two research papers are approved and completed on the same or similar topics.

Before graduation, all majors must also complete a portfolio containing their research paper(s) and an essay reflecting upon the coursework they have undertaken and their future plans.

Courses in which a student has earned a letter grade lower than a C-/P cannot be used to fulfill the requirements of the major.

Minor

Students may pursue a minor in Law and Society by completing at least 5 full courses. At least 2 core courses (in at least two departments) and 3 additional law-related and/or core courses must be completed as part of the minor. At least 3 full courses must be completed at Oberlin College.

Courses Which Count for the Major

For a list of current courses outside of LAWS, consult Professor Hirsch, Chair of the Law and Society program.