“Approaches to Legal History” gives a grounding in particularly influential authors and works on the history of law, and also requires critical reflection on method. It provides a detailed knowledge of certain fundamental texts and the debates that they generated, thereby developing the skills needed to understand and evaluate the arguments presented by legal historians since the 19th century. Themes covered will include the common law tradition of legal history stretching back to F. W. Maitland in the late nineteenth century; writings on law and society, including those of English Marxist historians, such as E.P. Thompson, and of James Willard Hurst in the U.S.; and more recent approaches, including legal anthropology and dispute studies, law and emotions, law and literature, feminist legal history, and historical jurisprudence and originalism.
For details on class times, days of the week, instructors, and grading and exam details, please view the Michigan Law Class Schedule.