Spring 2022 Course Schedule

Reproduction & the Law (LAW-876A-001)
Marya Torrez

Meets: 07:00 PM - 09:50 PM (Tu) - Warren - Room N101

Enrolled: 15 / Limit: 22

Administrator Access


Notices

There are no notices at this time.

Description

This seminar will track regulation of human reproduction and sexuality in the United States, focusing on history, law and policy. The course will cover Supreme Court jurisprudence establishing the rights to privacy and reproductive freedom, as well as past and current legal and legislative efforts implicating reproductive freedom. The course will incorporate a reproductive justice framework that looks at the human rights to have a child, not have a child, and to raise a child in a safe and healthy environment, as well as sexual autonomy and gender freedom. The course will examine how reproductive freedom and oppression are experienced differently by different populations, as well as how the law has been used to regulate reproduction in different ways, including through withholding public assistance and involuntary sterilization. The course will also look at how reproductive rights and justice are implicated in the current political environment.

Textbooks and Other Materials

The textbook information on this page was provided by the instructor. Students should use this information when considering purchases from the AU Campus Store or other vendors. Students may check to determine if books are currently available for purchase online.

Most readings are in these two books. Because the only text book for this topic is now 7 years old, it is supplemented by other readings. Other readings are available in the course materials, online, and linked in the syllabus. Cases with page numbers provided are all in MURRAY & LUKER.

  1. MURRAY & LUKER, CASES ON REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS AND JUSTICE (Foundation Press 2015).

  2. LORETTA J. ROSS AND RICKIE SOLLINGER, REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE: AN INTRODUCTION (2017).

First Class Readings

  • Notes about language and gender: ROSS/SOLLINGER, p. 6-8.

  • Historical Background and Sexual, Reproductive, and Relationship Rights under the Constitution

  1. MURRAY & LUKER, p. 509-521.

  2. Commonwealth v. Bangs, 9 Mass. 387 (1812) p. 629.

  3. 3. Meyer v. Nebraska, 262 U.S. 390 (1923) and notes p. 258.

  4. 4. Pierce v. Society of Sisters, 268 U.S. 510 (1925) and notes p. 261.

Syllabus

Use your MyAU username and password to access the syllabus in the following format(s):