Law, Values, and Policy is an interdisciplinary minor involving the Departments of Political Science, Philosophy, Political Science, Sociology, and others.
Participation in modern society requires an interdisciplinary grasp of issues. Ordinary party politics, structural changes to either state or federal government, changes in society, alterations in law or increased or decreased protections for racial, gender, or sexual orientation categories implicate issues of values, economics, and social interaction as well as law. Laws affect and change society. Changes in society drive changes in law and policy.
The minor in Law, Values, and Policy will provide students with an overview of the theories and analytical techniques of moral philosophy as well as the insights of economics, political science, history, and sociology on the desirability and consequences of different legal regimes, our current legal structures, and legal change.
The utility of the minor in Law, Values, and Policy (LVP) is not just the liberal arts objective of a broad education enabling full and knowledgeable participation in society, but also a sound foundation for a professional career in any field whether law, liberal arts, or social science.
The LVP minor provides a breadth of perspectives that would serve well for those students who intend to enter the legal profession or any of the professions that have a substantial interface with legal regulations. It would also provide a good background in the social sciences to enable graduate study in political science, sociology, philosophy, or history.