LEGAL ANTHROPOLOGY: AN INTRODUCTION

Format B/C

The social and cultural dimensions of law have been part of anthropological inquiry since its 18th century origins in Europe when anthropologists were caught between the scientific principles of their discipline, and the push by colonizing powers to impose Western rules of law on their territories, often denying equal legal protections to residents of those territories. These competing pressures can be seen in what anthropologists did or didn’t report in the research of that time. This course introduces the contributions anthropology has made to the study of law:

• Comparative questions of law’s form and content at different times and in different places around the globe
• Discuss the lessons that legal anthropology can teach us about our current moment.

Tuesdays, April 22, 29; 1:30 PM – 3:30 PM (Meet the Dean, 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM)

Stay after the class on the 22nd and 29th to meet the Dean and other UCI Professors from this panel.

Presenters: A multidisciplinary discussion panel will present:

• Bill Maurer, Dean and Professor, School of Social Sciences
• Lee Cabatingan, Associate Professor, Department of Criminology, Law & Society
• Susan Bibler Coutin, Professor, Department of Criminology, Law & Society
• Eve Darian-Smith, Distinguished Professor and Chair, Department of Global and International Studies
• Vibhuti Ramachandran, Assistant Professor, Department of Global and International Studies
• Justin Richland, Professor and Chair, Department of Anthropology

Developer: Mel Roth