Rosalind Dixon : Courses and Seminars
Comparative Constitutional Law
LAWS 50211
This course surveys constitutional cases and developments in leading foreign jurisdictions such as Australia, Canada, Germany, India, Israel, South Africa and the United Kingdom with a view to gaining deeper insights into the nature of constitutionalism the U.S., and the way in which it may or may not be open to change in the future. In particular, it examines how these and select other jurisdictions have dealt with emergency legislation post-9/11, affirmative action, abortion, gay and lesbian rights, hate speech, pornography, libel, religious free exercise (especially as it arises in the context of religious sacraments, religious dress and the military), sexual violence and socio-economic rights, when compared to the U.S. A student's grade will be based on a take-home final exam and class participation.
Winter 2010
Rosalind Dixon
Independent Research
LAWS 49901
Second- and third-year students may earn course credit by independent research under the supervision of a member of the faculty. Such projects are arranged by consultation between the student and the particular member of the faculty in whose field the proposed topic falls.
Winter 2010
Rosalind Dixon
Socio Economic Rights
LAWS 96212
This seminar considers the status and enforcement of socio-economic rights in domestic, foreign and international law. The first part of the seminar addresses theoretical debates surrounding the protection of socio-economic rights, such as whether they are in fact true rights, can legitimately be included in the text of a constitution, or legitimately subject to affirmative judicial enforcement. The second part of the seminar seeks to inform and extend debate on these questions by examining constitutional case-law on the enforcement of such rights in the U.S. at both a federal and state level, as well as in South Africa, India, Ireland, the UK and Hungary, with particular attention to the rights to housing, health-care, education, social assistance and the right to work. The third and final part of the seminar considers ways in which socio-economic rights law may be able to help re-frame existing rights debates in the U.S., such as those concerning abortion rights and the rights of child asylum-seekers, in the absence of direct judicial enforcement. A student's grade will be based on a major paper. With instructor approval, writing for this seminar may be used as partial fulfillment of the JD writing requirement (SWP for JD '10; SRP or WP for JD '11 and JD '12). Enrollment is limited to 20 students.
Winter 2010
Rosalind Dixon
Elements of the Law
LAWS 30101
This course examines certain issues that occur in many different areas of the law and considers the relationship between these issues and comparable questions in other fields of thought, such as moral and political philosophy, economics, and political theory. The subjects for discussion include the nature of, and justification for, reasoning from precedent; the meaning of such notions as consent, coercion, and voluntary choice; the decision whether to impose rules or allow discretion; the problems of interpreting statutes and other authoritative texts; and the objective or subjective nature of moral judgments. The student's grade is based on a final examination.
Autumn 2009
Rosalind Dixon
Independent Research
LAWS 49901
Second- and third-year students may earn course credit by independent research under the supervision of a member of the faculty. Such projects are arranged by consultation between the student and the particular member of the faculty in whose field the proposed topic falls.
Autumn 2009
Rosalind Dixon
Independent Research
LAWS 49901
Second- and third-year students may earn course credit by independent research under the supervision of a member of the faculty. Such projects are arranged by consultation between the student and the particular member of the faculty in whose field the proposed topic falls.
Spring 2010
Rosalind Dixon
