This course investigates the logic and lived reality of authoritarian law, with the goal of complicating the popular notion that authoritarian law is simply an instrument of state repression. We will mix more theoretical readings on approaches to law and the logic of courts with empirical studies of how law works in two historical settings (Nazi Germany and East Germany) and two contemporary cases (China and Russia). Part of our focus will be on elite politics, particularly the reasons leaders devolve power to courts and the control strategies they deploy to keep judges, lawyers and plaintiffs in check. At the same time, we will pay close attention to everyday law and how ordinary people experience the legal system.

Repeat Rules

Course is not repeatable for credit.