Seminar in Law & Development

What factors contribute to a country s financial stability? Is financial stability and the project of development consistent with sustainability? What is the role of law and legal institutions in securing the economic well-being of a country s people and the long-term viability of people and nature? This course will investigate these questions and many others as it explores the historical and contemporary contributions of law, legal institutions, and private actors to economic development and ecological sustainability. In so doing, we will map the roles of i) domestic and international law, ii) international organizations and domestic institutions, and iii) private actors, including business entities, NGOs, etc. We will focus on international development, though the course will also discuss the applicability of these concepts to particular countries, including the United States. Course materials from around the world, drawn from law as well as other disciplines, will illuminate challenges and successes in development. The goal of the course is to improve our understanding of the connection between law, development and the attainment of human and ecological well-being. There are no prerequisites for this course, though some exposure to corporate law, international law, human rights, or environmental law will be beneficial.