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Instructor Class Description

Time Schedule:

Carrie A. Doan
LSJ 380
Seattle Campus

Contemporary Issues in Comparative Legal Institutions

Covers theoretical, empirical, and comparative aspects of such topics as socio-legal concepts, justice, legal policies, and the institutions of law. Recommended: POL S 101, POL S 202, POL S 204, or SOC 110.

Class description

This course will introduce students to the relationship between practices of violence against women and the social, legal, and institutional contexts that surround such practices in the United States. We will focus on two types of violence against women, sexual assault and domestic violence, which will serve as case studies for understanding relationships between power, violence, society, and law. Some central questions will include: How do social and legal constructions of gender, race, and class contextualize violence against women? How do mass media and pop cultural representations of violence against women define the problem and its potential solutions? Should victims of sexual and domestic violence turn to the state for support and prevention of violence? Do therapeutic or restorative practices offer a feasible alternative to state violence that would better support victims and deter violence against women? We will study the problem of violence against women from multiple disciplinary approaches and examine a variety of media and texts.

Student learning goals

General method of instruction

Recommended preparation

Class assignments and grading


The information above is intended to be helpful in choosing courses. Because the instructor may further develop his/her plans for this course, its characteristics are subject to change without notice. In most cases, the official course syllabus will be distributed on the first day of class.
Last Update by Carrie A. Doan
Date: 03/24/2005