DGS 162 - Constitutional Law and Issues

5 Credits

From a global perspective, this course will look at contemporary and historical Constitutional issues with respect to race, gender, religion, sexual orientation and human rights. The topics will focus on the impact of substantive and procedural laws with respect to 1) Local, regional, global and socioeconomic integration and interdependence as dictated by Constitutional interpretation, 2) Societal/cultural group contributions to legal theory or systems, 3) Institutional oppression and dominant group privilege as dictated by Constitutional interpretation, 4) Prejudice, stereotyping and discrimination and its impact on Constitutional interpretation, 5) The social construction of law, 6) Skills for confronting biased treatment and advocating for justice, 7) Dynamics of intercultural or intersocietal conflict and conflict resolution.

Fees

Quarters Typically Offered

Designed to Serve Students interested in Constitutional theory and law, meets social science distribution area 1 and DGS requirement
Active Date 2014-05-27

Grading System Decimal Grade
Class Limit 38
Shared Learning Environment Yes
Contact Hours: Lecture 55 Lab 0 Worksite 0 Clinical 0 Other 0
Total Contact Hours 55
Degree Distributions:
AA

Diversity & Globalism
Social Science Area I

Course Outline
Course outline will follow the chronological evolution of the Constitution and will always consider legal issues of globalism and/or diversity with a focus on at least two of the categories set out in the course content above. Specifically, the course will cover topics in the following order: I. Overview of The Constitution II. Concepts of Federalism and the Separation of Powers III. The Judicial Branch and the Power of Judicial Review IV. Protections from the Government in The Constitution and the Bill of Rights V. Equal Protection VI. Due Process Rights VII. Freedom of Speech VIII. Freedom of Religion IX. Constitutional Protection in the Criminal Justice Context

Student Learning Outcomes
Analyze substantive law in the Constitution as it impacts race, gender, culture and human rights

Understand legal, Constitutional history in the context of race, gender culture and human rights

Analyze how Constitutional law has impacted issues of prejudice, stereotyping and discrimination

Articulate the power and limits of Constitutional law with respect to issues of prejudice, stereotyping and discrimination.

Develop skills for recognizing and confronting biased treatment at a community level and applying these skills to articulate legal remedies as may be provided in the Constitution

Understand issues of social, economic and legal justice and develop advocacy skills, using law and the Constitution.

Articulate a global perspective on the implications of the US Constitution as it relates to issues of immigration, race, gender, culture and human rights