SYSTEMIC JUSTICE

  • Jon Hanson with Jacob Lipton
  • Spring 2020 Course
  • Meets: W, Th, F 1:20pm – 2:40pm
  • 4 classroom credits

This course will employ insights from numerous disciplines, including history, mind sciences, economics, and law to explore some of the deep, common, and overlapping causes of injustice. It will examine and draw lessons from a handful of well-known injustices—from antebellum slavery to twentieth-century marketing of tobacco. Focusing on varied sources of power, the course will analyze interconnections between policy problems and the cycles that contribute to inequality and injustice. Based on those understandings, the course will name and inventory causes of injustice, impediments to justice, and ways better to pursue justice through law and social activism. The course will pay special attention to the relationship between power, inequality, legitimacy, and the law. Finally, the course will pull those lessons into the present as students examine, workshop, and write about current problems.

Students will have several assignments, including a group or individual policy paper on a problem of their choosing and a related presentation.

This class is recommended (but not required) for The Justice Lab.

THE JUSTICE LAB

  • Jacob Lipton and Jon Hanson
  • Spring 2020 Course
  • Meets: W 5:00pm – 7:00pm
  • 2 classroom credits

Justice Lab seeks to develop a new way of approaching societal injustices, while providing students with experience operating in a think tank environment. Students will work in teams drafting policy papers and taking part in the running of The Justice Lab. Students will participate in the selection of “problems” for the lab to address, will identify a variety of relevant experts, stakeholders, and victims of injustice as part of researching the problem, and will coordinate and participate in drafting collaborative policy papers. Some papers will analyze a problem, identify possible solutions, and propose a set of potential policy reforms. Other papers will concern “problem causers,” the often unseen or unmanageably large forces that contribute to many specific problems. Class time will be devoted to presentations, guest lectures and workshops, and discussions of the policy problems. Much of the work will be done outside of class in smaller groups and subgroups. Jacob Lipton will assist with this course.

Prerequisites:  By Permission. Students who have not previously taken a course with Professor Hanson are encouraged, but not required, to simultaneously register in Systemic Justice. If you are interested in participating, please email hanson@law.harvard.edu and jlipton@law.harvard.edu (and include the words “Justice Lab” in the subject line) so we can give you further details and make you eligible for enrollment.We encourage you to reach out to us early so we can begin discussing paper topics. The Justice Lab takes a cross-disciplinary approach, and we also encourage cross-registrants.

LEGAL THEORY AND THE LEGITIMATION OF INEQUALITY IN THE TWENTIETH CENTURY

  • Jacob Lipton and Jon Hanson
  • Fall 2018 Seminar
  • Meets: M 5:10pm – 7:10pm
  • 2 classroom credits

This seminar will draw from interdisciplinary research and writing on law, legal theory, legitimacy, inequality, power, injustice, mind sciences, economics, and history. The materials will inform our discussion of legal and legal-theoretic trends over the twentieth century and their implications for today. Students will write response papers analyzing the reading materials, and will have the option of adding an additional writing credit. Grades will be based on response papers and class participation, and students will be expected to participate in leading the discussion. Jacob Lipton will assist with this course.

Prerequisites: Participation is by permission only. To apply, please send a brief statement of interest to hanson@law.harvard.edu and jlipton@law.harvard.edu.

PRACTICING SYSTEMIC JUSTICE IN THE UNITED STATES: A WORKING LAB

  • Professor Tyler Giannini, Professor Jon Hanson
  • Winter 2017 course
  • 3 classroom credits

Prerequisites: By Permission. If you are interested in participating, please email giannini@law.harvard.edu, hanson@law.harvard.edu, and jlipton@law.harvard.edu (and include the words “Practicing Systemic Justice” in the subject line) so we can give you further details and make you eligible for enrollment. The Lab takes a cross-disciplinary approach, and we also encourage cross-registrants.

Exam Type: No Exam

Practicing Systemic Justice in the United States: A Working Lab seeks to develop a new way of approaching societal injustices by exploring the practice and history of struggle and applying it to contemporary problems. In conjunction with expert advisors, student teams will work to draft reports and other materials on pressing policy problems such as immigration, food, housing, technology, criminal justice, corporate responsibility, and climate change. Expert advisors will include faculty members Sabrineh Ardalan, Christopher Bavitz, Emily Broad Leib, Esme Caramello, and Phillip Torrey. Students will participate in the selection of “problems” to address, will help identify a variety of relevant experts, stakeholders, and groups facing injustice as part of researching the problem, and will coordinate and participate in drafting collaborative proposals and action plans. Teams will analyze a problem and identify possible solutions and strategies ranging from policy and legislation to litigation and organizing. Class time will be devoted to presentations, guest lectures and workshops, and discussions of the chosen problems. Students will also have the opportunity to meet with, and facilitate discussions among, experts and practitioners working on their chosen problems. Much of the work will be done outside of class in smaller groups and subgroups.

THE LEGAL EDUCATION LAB

The norms and practices in legal education matter. They influence what students enter law school, what those students study and learn when they arrive, what and how they practice when they leave. In short, legal education influences the legal profession, the law, and the extent to which they both advance justice. Students in the Legal Education Lab will identify some of the problems associated with inclusion in legal education, causes of the problems, alternative practices, and possible solutions. Students will research and connect with scholars and experts who focus on these topics as well as with relevant stakeholders and will jointly prepare a policy paper. Their work will be presented at the 2016 Systemic Justice Conference (April 8 – 10). In addition, students will research contextualization in legal education, and prepare resources for contextualized learning. Class time will be devoted to presentations, guest speakers, workshops, and discussions of various elements of the project. Students will produce various written work, including collaborative papers and individual written assignments, and prepare and participate in an in-depth presentation for the Systemic Justice Conference in April. Much of the work will be done outside of class in smaller groups and subgroups. Jacob Lipton will assist with this course.

WRITING ABOUT JUSTICE

  • Jon Hanson with Jacob Lipton
  • Spring 2015 Seminar
  • Meets: M 5:00pm – 7:00pm
  • 2 classroom credits

This seminar focuses on the important psychological, historical, economic, political, and legal sources of systemic injustice. Students will take an active role in planning and implementing the seminar. They will be expected to prepare readings, write substantial papers, and comment upon and edit other students’ papers. One goal of the seminar will be to create a collection of chapters or articles for eventual publication.

Prerequisites: Participation is by permission only, and students must have previously taken Torts or Corporations with Professor Hanson. To apply, please send a brief statement of interest to hanson@law.harvard.edu and jlipton@law.harvard.edu. Please include the words “Justice Seminar” in the subject line.