Vorlesung: Introduction to Law and Anthropology (FS 2025)

The course Introduction to Law and Anthropology will take place in spring semester 2025. It will be held in English and is directed to BA students in Law as well as in Anthropology.

To foster an open and interactive learning environment, the course will be held in person.

This course offers an introduction to the broadly-defined field of law and anthropology. Students will engage with seminal texts and key themes that have shaped the intellectual development of the field, whilst also gaining familiarity with anthropological methods for studying law and legal practice.

Students will experiment with new, empirically-grounded approaches to studying law, gaining an appreciation for its multifaceted and fuzzy nature. They will also learn to ‘decenter’ law, viewing it as one of many normative systems that guide and shape human experience.

The course will include one or two practical sessions, such as observing court hearings and/or law classes, to practice fieldnote-taking and ethnographic methods.

Materials will be uploaded on OLAT or distributed via email. A number of classes will be inspired by the recently published book Leading Works in Law and Anthropology (Routledge, 2024) edited by A. Margaria and L. Vetters.

Depending on the class size, the final assessment will be either a written exam or an essay. In addition, students will be asked to give a brief presentation on one of the foundational texts we will engage with during the course.