Apart from their assigned mod courses, 1L students may only enroll in courses offered as 1L electives. A complete list of these courses can be found on the 1L Elective Listings page. 1L students must use the 1L class number listed on the course description when enrolling.
265.21 sec. 001 - Introduction to Sub-Saharan African Legal Systems (Spring 2024)
Instructor: Laurent Mayali (view instructor's teaching evaluations - degree students only | profile)
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Units: 1
Grading Designation: Credit Only
Mode of Instruction: In-Person
Meeting:
Tu 3:35 PM - 5:25 PM
Location: Law 111
From January 09, 2024
To February 20, 2024
Course End: February 20, 2024
Class Number: 33536
This course is open to 1Ls.
Enrollment info:
Enrolled: 16
Waitlisted: 0
Enroll Limit: 23
As of: 07/30 03:46 PM
![Enrollment Graph (opens in a new window)](images/graph_icon.gif)
This course is an introduction to the comparative examination of the legal systems of selected countries in sub-Saharan Africa. The first week of class will be dedicated to the history of the African kingdoms and empires prior to colonization, the impact of the slave trade, the consequences of colonization and the emergence of independent States with the end of the colonial period. This comparative examination will focus on the circumstances and process leading to the advent and development of the current legal systems. The following week will address the common components of sub-Saharan legal systems including the legal dynamics and regional normative frameworks, legal pluralism and legal sources, conflicts between tradition and modernity, constitutionalism and rights. The remaining sections of the class will be dedicated to the respective study of the laws and legal institutions of the following countries: Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya and Cameroon. In this section, we will examine public and private law issues including the law-making process, judicial governance, the legal profession, land tenure and the legal framework of the exploitation of natural resources and environmental protection, family, kinship and inheritance.
Class requirement : 8-10 pages paper
Attendance at the first class is mandatory for all currently enrolled and waitlisted students; any currently enrolled or waitlisted students who are not present on the first day of class (without prior permission of the instructor) will be dropped. The instructor will continue to take attendance throughout the add/drop period and anyone who moves off the waitlist into the class must continue to attend or have prior permission of the instructor in order not to be dropped.
Prerequisites:
No prerequisite
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Exam Notes: (P) Final paper
(Subject to change by faculty member only through the first two weeks of instruction)
Course Category: International and Comparative Law
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Readers:
No reader.
Books:
Instructor has indicated that no books will be assigned.