S. Comparative and International Law Workshop

The Comparative and International Law Seminar introduces students to the cutting-edge scholarship in the field. It meets 12 times in total in the spring semester. The seminar brings to Columbia leading scholars of comparative and international law who will present their scholarly work in progress to students and faculty. Students will analyze these papers and engage in a discussion with the authors. Typically we spend the first hour of each seminar session discussing the paper with the students, including its methodology as well as how the topic fits within the broader literature in the field. This discussion is led by a group of students who first introduce the key research question, methodology, as well as main conclusions and implications. Other students will then share their critique of the paper. For the second hour, the author of the paper will join the class for a presentation and a conversation. Other law faculty and members of the Columbia community are invited to join this second part of the seminar. Students are expected to actively participate in discussions. They are also expected to write 9 response papers in total during the semester to critique the working papers. Final grades are based on students' overall engagement, including their response papers, discussion leadership, and in-class participation. While background in international and comparative law classes will be helpful, there are no formal prerequisites for this seminar and any student interested in comparative law or international law or scholarly discussions is welcome to attend.