Introduction
The course will provide students with a foundation in law and society in Asia, as one of the most instrumental and dynamic areas of today's world. Our objective is to facilitate a critical understanding of how law operates in Asian societies, and to prepare students for future engagement with the legal-political systems of (selected) Asian countries in various professional contexts.
In particular, the course will focus on South Asia, building on their unique historical and political location as well as the complex and internally disparate internal compositions of the communities within these territories.
The goal is to make the students familiar with the following topics:
- How does the high density of diversity within Asia map onto theorizations of Asia as a geo-political entity? What is the utility of the Asian values approach?
- The history of the socio-legal traditions and colonialism in Asian countries, and how it informs current political developments.
- Populist movements for recognition of environmental rights, internet protection regimes, rights of sexual minorities, and feminist approaches in Asia
- Understanding how different actors such as courts, civil society, legislatures, corporates, and politicians contribute to legal reforms in Asia
The roadmap of the course
19 Feb: Conceptualizing Asia
20 Feb: Asia’s legal pluralisms
26 Feb: Constitutionalisms in Asia and social perceptions of the law
27 Feb: Actors in the legal ecosystem in Asia
4 March: Borders and belonging
5 March: Identity markers and legal regulation
11 March: Land and indigeneity
12 March: Ethnic conflicts and transitional justice
18 March: Freedom of speech and digital authoritarianism
19 March: Postcolonial and decolonial resistance to the law
Guide to navigating the course syllabus
- The readings lean towards human rights and sociology. However, no prior knowledge in either of these fields is required.
- The list of prior readings is tentative. You are welcome and encouraged to suggest additions.
- Each seminar will orbit around the arguments made in the suggested literature.
- For week 1, the readings marked in bold are mandatory.
- From week 2 onwards, some students will be invited to volunteer to lead the discussion on (some of) the readings marked in bold. In the event that no one volunteers, some students will be selected (based on a rota). These students will have the chance to open up the discussion by sharing their key takeaways from the readings assigned to them. The readings assigned to specific students are optional for other students.
- Through the course, we will jointly curate a reading/reel/music list featuring readings, music, podcasts, and movies aligned with the course contents. This list will hopefully help us memorialize our discussions.
Evaluation pattern
Attending students: The final mark for attending students will be composed as follows:
40% group presentation
60% final essay OR final oral exam
Group presentation: attending students will have to prepare a group presentation at the end of each module on a topic assigned. The group will submit a short paper right before the presentation, and then will introduce the contents of the paper orally during each module’s last class.
The group presentation is intended to nudge students to consider experimenting with avant garde writing styles such as musical/cinematic/prose narratives in an otherwise academic piece. The idea is to help students critically reflect on the role that cultural conditioning plays in the choices made during academic writing. Further directions on the contents of the term project will be offered in class, in consultation with the students.
Final essay OR final oral exam: attending students can choose between the written or oral exam.
If they opt for the written exam, they will have to submit one paper (of 6000 words), at least 10 days before the date of the exam on which they intend to register the mark. Attending students will have to deepen one of the topics tackled during the module at their choosing. Further information on the submission will be circulated during the course.
If they choose the oral exam, they will be tested on the materials indicated for attending students during the regular exam sessions.
Non-attending students: Oral exam only, non-attending students’ materials
The course will provide students with a foundation in law and society in Asia, as one of the most instrumental and dynamic areas of today's world. Our objective is to facilitate a critical understanding of how law operates in Asian societies, and to prepare students for future engagement with the legal-political systems of (selected) Asian countries in various professional contexts.
In particular, the course will focus on South Asia, building on their unique historical and political location as well as the complex and internally disparate internal compositions of the communities within these territories.
The goal is to make the students familiar with the following topics:
- How does the high density of diversity within Asia map onto theorizations of Asia as a geo-political entity? What is the utility of the Asian values approach?
- The history of the socio-legal traditions and colonialism in Asian countries, and how it informs current political developments.
- Populist movements for recognition of environmental rights, internet protection regimes, rights of sexual minorities, and feminist approaches in Asia
- Understanding how different actors such as courts, civil society, legislatures, corporates, and politicians contribute to legal reforms in Asia
The roadmap of the course
19 Feb: Conceptualizing Asia
20 Feb: Asia’s legal pluralisms
26 Feb: Constitutionalisms in Asia and social perceptions of the law
27 Feb: Actors in the legal ecosystem in Asia
4 March: Borders and belonging
5 March: Identity markers and legal regulation
11 March: Land and indigeneity
12 March: Ethnic conflicts and transitional justice
18 March: Freedom of speech and digital authoritarianism
19 March: Postcolonial and decolonial resistance to the law
Guide to navigating the course syllabus
- The readings lean towards human rights and sociology. However, no prior knowledge in either of these fields is required.
- The list of prior readings is tentative. You are welcome and encouraged to suggest additions.
- Each seminar will orbit around the arguments made in the suggested literature.
- For week 1, the readings marked in bold are mandatory.
- From week 2 onwards, some students will be invited to volunteer to lead the discussion on (some of) the readings marked in bold. In the event that no one volunteers, some students will be selected (based on a rota). These students will have the chance to open up the discussion by sharing their key takeaways from the readings assigned to them. The readings assigned to specific students are optional for other students.
- Through the course, we will jointly curate a reading/reel/music list featuring readings, music, podcasts, and movies aligned with the course contents. This list will hopefully help us memorialize our discussions.
Evaluation pattern
Attending students: The final mark for attending students will be composed as follows:
40% group presentation
60% final essay OR final oral exam
Group presentation: attending students will have to prepare a group presentation at the end of each module on a topic assigned. The group will submit a short paper right before the presentation, and then will introduce the contents of the paper orally during each module’s last class.
The group presentation is intended to nudge students to consider experimenting with avant garde writing styles such as musical/cinematic/prose narratives in an otherwise academic piece. The idea is to help students critically reflect on the role that cultural conditioning plays in the choices made during academic writing. Further directions on the contents of the term project will be offered in class, in consultation with the students.
Final essay OR final oral exam: attending students can choose between the written or oral exam.
If they opt for the written exam, they will have to submit one paper (of 6000 words), at least 10 days before the date of the exam on which they intend to register the mark. Attending students will have to deepen one of the topics tackled during the module at their choosing. Further information on the submission will be circulated during the course.
If they choose the oral exam, they will be tested on the materials indicated for attending students during the regular exam sessions.
Non-attending students: Oral exam only, non-attending students’ materials
- Teacher: Chiara Correndo
- Teacher: Raghavi Viswanath