Because law is one of the means through which policies are enacted, understanding the different structures of legal systems is a necessary for understanding policy promulgation in different country-contexts. This course first introduces students to the history and development of a variety of legal families, beginning with the two most prominent: civil law, and common law. The course then explores the various methods scholars use to compare law from different legal systems. Finally, students learn to apply the knowledge to policy problems and debates within the field of comparative law, by exploring topics such as law reform and legal transplants.
