LAW6036: Reproductive Rights & Justice

This course is a critical look at the regulation of sex, sexuality, and reproduction by American law. The materials will examine the evolution of family law as a normative system, how marriage and criminal law interact to enforce sexual boundaries, how regulation of pregnant bodies and birthing subvert bodily autonomy to "science" and how science reinforces socially constructed ideas of women's roles, how criminal laws are used to reinforce boundaries of acceptable sexual and reproductive behavior, and the increasing intervention of state and federal actors in our private sexual and reproductive lives. It addresses the rights of women, men, minors, and the government. Students will explore ethical considerations, historical perspectives, and how regulation of reproduction -- either directly or indirectly -- reinforces racial hierarchies. This is a discussion-centered course that requires deep engagement with the material and regular class attendance.

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