Research

Our research provides insight into the historical, philosophical, and socio-cultural forces that shape laws, legal thought, and legal institutions in the United States and around the world. In particular, we analyze how different approaches to law can either help or hinder the advancement of equity and inclusion in public life.

We study issues like justice, rights, liberty, equality, citizenship, authority, crime, punishment, civil rights, human rights, privacy, and more. Our faculty and lecturers have authored books, articles, and essays representing the depth and breadth of the field of legal studies. We incorporate qualitative, interpretive, and quantitative traditions, alone and in combination, to answer complex questions about the role of law in society.