CTP214 | The Politics Of Law: Justice, Power, And Social Movements In The Global South

How does the law play out in our everyday lives? Why do people turn to the law? What hopes do legal systems symbolize—fairness, equality, or justice? This course explores the relationship between law, state, and society, tracing how legal systems have been sites of control and aspiration.

Focusing on the Global South, we examine the complex and often fraught relationship between law and colonialism. Countries across Africa, Latin America, and Asia inherited legal frameworks imposed during colonial rule—some structures persisted, while others were transformed. What changed, and what remained? How do these histories shape the continued dominance of legal systems today?

Beyond the legal frameworks imposed from above, this course also studies the role of resistance. How have social movements historically engaged with law? Has protest always existed outside legal realms, or has it also worked within them? What major historical transitions define the journey from colony to nation-state? Through case studies from the 19th and 20th centuries, we will explore the mechanisms of control embedded in legal regimes and how people—especially those marginalized by the state—have turned toward formal law to assert their rights and aspirations.

Each week, the course will combine theoretical discussions with historical analysis, examining key moments where law shaped, and was shaped by society. Readings will provoke critical engagement with legal history, postcolonial studies, and social movements, helping us rethink the promises and limitations of law in our contemporary world.