Vinay Harpalani

3 credits

This seminar will examine the role of Asian Americans in shaping legal controversies involving race. It will critically analyze how U.S. law has both created and reacted to Asian American identities, through defining racial categories and framing legal issues. The course will cover issues such as citizenship, immigration, national security, and affirmative action in admissions. For each issue, it will focus on how Asian Americans have: 1. Influenced the development of legal doctrines and policies; 2. Affected the social and political dynamics surrounding the issue. Readings will include cases involving Asian Americans, law review articles which illuminate these cases, relevant scholarly literature in the social sciences and humanities, and current news articles. Importantly, the course will also emphasize diversity within Asian Americans, highlighting the similarities and differences in the experiences of Americans of East Asian, South Asian, Southeast Asian, Middle Eastern, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander descent. UPPER-CLASS WRITING REQUIREMENT: Students will be able to fully satisfy the requirement through a 6000-word scholarly paper which involves substantial legal analysis and research; two different 3000-word scholarly papers which involve substantial legal analysis and research; or partially satisfy the requirement with one 3000 word scholarly paper which involves substantial legal analysis and research AND one 3000 word critical autobiographical reflection on the student's own racial experiences as they relate to issues covered in the course. This option is intended for students who have written or will write another 3000-word scholarly paper for a different course to completely fulfill the Upper-class Writing Requirement. Other requirements will include class participation, which will involve leading discussions on readings and course topics and a final presentation of students' scholarly papers. ** A student who fails to attend the initial meeting of a seminar, or to obtain permission to be absent from either the instructor or the Registrar, will be administratively dropped from the seminar. Students who waitlist for a seminar are required to attend the first seminar meeting to be considered for enrollment.

3 credits

Comprehensive coverage of federal and state statutory anti-discrimination and accommodation laws governing employment. Federal statutes treated include Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, the Family Medical Leave Act, the Equal Pay Act, and section 1981. Constitutional equal protection law also will be treated where applicable. Topics include disparate treatment, disparate impact, systemic disparate treatment, harassment, retaliation, remedies, including affirmative action, and procedural choices.