Law and Social Change Class 1

Administrative Give quiz Deficiencies

Review Any questions about the reading Differences among negotiation, mediation, arbitration and adjudication Issues of Justiciability and Standing

Today Reciprocity between law and social change Law’s effect on attitudes and values Law as a Source of Social Change

I. Reciprocity between Law and Social Change What does it mean to say this relationship is reciprocal? Can you provide examples of the impact in each direction?

II. Law’s Effect on Attitudes and Values Can law affect attitudes and/or values? How can this happen? What is the sociological or psychological mechanism? What are the limits to this kind of effect?

III. Law as a Source of Social Change As we have already seen, law can be a source of social change (and social change can give rise to new laws) Examples of other sources of social change? Since law is not the only source, we may have choices about how to induce social change when we want it

Next Time Advantages and Disadvantages of law as an instrument of social change

Law and Social Change Class 2

Administrative Discuss case presentations at end of class Report on and collect journals Return quizzes

Review Law and social change are reciprocal processes They interact with each other Each can give rise to the other Law’s effects on attitudes and values Law can affect attitudes and values However, not always and not always the effect we are trying to achieve Law as a source of social change

Today Advantages of Law as an Instrument of Social Change Limitations of Law as an Instrument of Social Change Terminology for next time Exercise – Promoting two-parent families

I. Advantages of Law as a Source of Social Change Legitimate Authority The Binding Force of Law Sanctions

II. Limitations of Law as a Source of Social Change Originates externally to most people and seems coercive Laws may be perceived as serving particular economic interest groups Law is only one of a very large set of policy instruments and usually cannot be effective by itself Lack of success of law in enforcing private morality Watch out for unintended consequences

III. Terminology Risk Neutral Utility Maximizers “marginal” difference in the impact on arrests

III. Terminology Covariates Linear Interpolation City fixed effects and year dummies

IV. Promoting Two Parent Families Suppose our goal is to reduce the rate of divorce and to increase the percentage of children raised by two-parent families What options do we have to promote such social change? How might the law be altered to promote such social change?

Case Presentations In one sense this is a team exercise Who are the judges? Nature of the assignment Which topic will be done on which date? See home page

Journal Presentations

Next Time We’ll discuss the Donahue and Levitt article

Law and Social Change Class 3

Administrative Any questions about case presentations? Return journals at end of class Time for teams?

Review Advantages of using law as a source of social change Limitations of law as a source of social change

Today Donahue and Levitt Exercise

II. Donahue and Levitt What issue are they examining? What is their model and what variables do they measure? What do they conclude? What are the implications for social change?

III. Exercise Divide into teams Issue – Discrimination in housing sales How would you test for this phenomenon? What kinds of evidence would your test produce? How would you write the law to reduce such discrimination?

Next Time Begin unit on attorneys