Course Schedule
Classes Found
SMNR: Philosophy of Criminal Law
- THU 2:40 – 4:38 pm ONLINE
Course Information
- Course ID:
- 397S
Registration Information
- Upperclass-only elective
Description
This course will be taught entirely online via Zoom.
This seminar will be a study of philosophical questions concerning punishment and responsibility in the criminal law. These questions include the nature of punishment, its justification, proportionality, the compatibility of criminal responsibility with a scientific world view, and the compatibility of mens rea as a condition of criminality with deterrence as an aim of punishment.
SMNR: Philosophy of Criminal Law
- WED 3:45 – 5:35 pm TNH 3.115
Course Information
- Course ID:
- 397S
Registration Information
- Upperclass-only elective
Description
This seminar will be a study of philosophical questions concerning punishment and responsibility in the criminal law. These questions include the nature of punishment, its justification, proportionality, the compatibility of criminal responsibility with a scientific world view, and the compatibility of mens rea as a condition of criminality with deterrence as an aim of punishment.
SMNR: Policing the Police
- THU 2:30 – 4:20 pm
Course Information
- Course ID:
- 397S
Registration Information
- Upperclass-only elective
Description
In this seminar we will explore the various mechanisms through which the public can regulate and shape the conduct of local police. We will consider the role of both federal and state constitutional law, as well as litigation more broadly in addressing police misconduct (including the role of attorneys and plaintiffs, immunity doctrines, and financial incentives that shape municipal decision-making). We also will consider the role of other actors, including state legislators and state oversight agencies (e.g. licensing boards and state attorneys’ general); local oversight bodies; municipal insurers; and the federal government. Readings will include scholarly articles, judicial opinions, investigative reports, and proposed and enacted policies and legislation. Students are expected to participate actively in each week's discussion, to submit periodic reading reflections/questions, and to complete original research which may take the form of either a traditional seminar paper or a policy brief.
SMNR: Policing the Police
- THU 2:40 – 4:38 pm ONLINE
Course Information
- Course ID:
- 397S
Registration Information
- Upperclass-only elective
Description
This course will be taught entirely online via Zoom.
This is a writing seminar designed to explore various mechanisms by which law enforcement actors - in particular police and prosecutors - are regulated. The readings will present the opportunity to learn about and critically assess judicial, bureaucratic, internal, and civilian regulatory and oversight strategies, including but not limited to constitutional doctrine (such as the Fourth Amendment limits on search and seizure), criminal justice oversight agencies (such as the Texas Forensic Science Commission and the newly created New York Prosecutorial Misconduct Commission), policies and procedures governing police departments and prosecutors offices, and civilian police oversight (such as Austin's Office of the Police Monitor). Readings will include scholarly articles, judicial opinions, investigative reports, and proposed and enacted policies and legislation. In addition to discussion of assigned reading, class meetings will also include the opportunity to meet and question several guest speakers with direct experience in a variety of aspects of criminal justice oversight. Students are expected to participate actively in each week's discussion, to submit brief reading reflections/questions on a weekly basis, and to complete original research which may take the form of either traditional legal scholarship or a policy brief.
SMNR: Policing the Police
- THU 2:15 – 4:05 pm JON 5.206/207
Course Information
- Course ID:
- 397S
Registration Information
- Upperclass-only elective
Description
This is a writing seminar designed to explore various mechanisms by which law enforcement actors - in particular police and prosecutors - are regulated. The readings will present the opportunity to learn about and critically assess judicial, bureaucratic, internal, and civilian regulatory and oversight strategies, including but not limited to constitutional doctrine (such as the Fourth Amendment limits on search and seizure), criminal justice oversight agencies (such as the Texas Forensic Science Commission and the newly created New York Prosecutorial Misconduct Commission), policies and procedures governing police departments and prosecutors offices, and civilian police oversight (such as Austin's Office of the Police Monitor). Readings will include scholarly articles, judicial opinions, investigative reports, and proposed and enacted policies and legislation. In addition to discussion of assigned reading, class meetings will also include the opportunity to meet and question several guest speakers with direct experience in a variety of aspects of criminal justice oversight. Students are expected to participate actively in each week's discussion, to submit brief reading reflections/questions on a weekly basis, and to complete original research which may take the form of either traditional legal scholarship or a policy brief.
SMNR: Political Equality
- MON 3:00 – 6:00 pm ONLINE
Course Information
- Course ID:
- 397S
- Cross-listed with:
- Philosophy
Registration Information
- Upperclass-only elective
Description
This is a Philosophy course, cross-listed with the Law School. This course will be taught entirely online via Zoom.
The seminar will be a study of philosophical treatments, over the last fifty years, of the ideal of political equality in a liberal democracy. The starting points of the study will be the treatments of the ideal in John Rawls’s A Theory of Justice and Ronald Dworkin’s seminal articles “What Is Equality? Parts 1 and 2”. These treatments, especially Dworkin’s, focus on equality in the distribution of the goods people need to live well. Subsequent treatments, in some cases growing out of criticism of ideas originating in Dworkin’s work (and often lumped under the moniker “luck egalitarianism”), have focused on equal standing in one’s community as distinct from equal opportunity to acquire the goods people need to live well. A central question of the seminar’s study will be how to understand this shift in focus and its implications for the theory of justice in a liberal democracy and to what extent it represents changes in assumptions about the existence of structural inequalities in civil society and about the nature and degree of social mobility in a liberal democracy. After examining the views of political equality that focused on equality in the distribution of goods needed to live well, the seminar will examine the work of philosophers that contributed or responded to the shift in focus, including that of Iris Marion Young, Elizabeth Anderson, and Tommie Shelby.
SMNR: Political Parties in the Law of Democracy
- THU 2:30 – 4:20 pm TNH 3.115
Course Information
- Course ID:
- 397S
Registration Information
- Upperclass-only elective
Description
Political parties play an essential role in our democracy. But they sit in an uneasy position in the legal framework that regulates our elections. On the one hand, as expressive organizations of private citizens, political parties can claim First Amendment rights of speech and association. On the other hand, as critical pieces of the electoral machinery, they have obligations not to infringe on the fundamental rights of voters. And at a time when partisanship and polarization are high, political parties appear surprisingly weak as institutions. This seminar will examine the role of political parties in the law of democracy. It will consider their rise against the background of a Constitution that contemplates no role for them, their sometimes sordid relationship with minority representation, and the functions they play in organizing representation and governance. We will read leading Supreme Court cases, foundational political science literature, and recent legal scholarship on political parties. We will consider whether political parties have contributed to, or been victims of, polarization, how the law shapes the political environment, and the role of political parties in presidential elections adn our constitutional system more broadly.
SMNR: Political Parties in the Law of Democracy
- THU 2:15 – 4:05 pm TNH 3.114
Course Information
- Course ID:
- 397S
Registration Information
- Upperclass-only elective
Description
Political parties play an essential role in our democracy. But they sit in an uneasy position in the legal framework that regulates our elections. On the one hand, as expressive organizations of private citizens, political parties can claim First Amendment rights of speech and association. On the other hand, as critical pieces of the electoral machinery, they have obligations not to infringe on the fundamental rights of voters. And at a time when partisanship and polarization are high, political parties appear surprisingly weak as institutions. This seminar will examine the role of political parties in the law of democracy. It will consider their rise against the background of a Constitution that contemplates no role for them, their sometimes sordid relationship with minority representation, and the functions they play in organizing representation and governance. We will read leading Supreme Court cases, foundational political science literature, and recent legal scholarship on political parties. We will consider whether political parties have contributed to, or been victims of, polarization, how the law shapes the political environment, and the role of political parties in presidential elections adn our constitutional system more broadly.
SMNR: Political Parties in the Law of Democracy
- THU 2:15 – 4:05 pm TNH 3.114
Course Information
- Course ID:
- 397S
Registration Information
- Upperclass-only elective
Description
Political parties play an essential role in our democracy. But they sit in an uneasy position in the legal framework that regulates our elections. On the one hand, as expressive organizations of private citizens, political parties can claim First Amendment rights of speech and association. On the other hand, as critical pieces of the electoral machinery, they have obligations not to infringe on the fundamental rights of voters. And at a time when partisanship and polarization are high, political parties appear surprisingly weak as institutions. This seminar will examine the role of political parties in the law of democracy. It will consider their rise against the background of a Constitution that contemplates no role for them, their sometimes sordid relationship with minority representation, and the functions they play in organizing representation and governance. We will read leading Supreme Court cases, foundational political science literature, and recent legal scholarship on political parties. We will consider whether political parties have contributed to, or been victims of, polarization, how the law shapes the political environment, and the role of political parties in presidential elections adn our constitutional system more broadly.
SMNR: Politics/Law/Moral Character
- MON 3:00 – 6:00 pm BAT 1.104
Course Information
- Course ID:
- 397S
- Cross-listed with:
- Government
Registration Information
- Upperclass-only elective
Description
This is a Government class cross-listed with the Law School
We will consider the ethical foundations of law and politics, focusing on the moral virtues. These are questions not just of law and political science in the narrow sense, but of political philosophy. The approach is partly historical, partly contemporary. Most of our ancestors took for granted that it was impossible to organize a decent political order without a certain kind of character on the part of the citizens and the rulers. Some thought we inevitably get the government we deserve; others thought that certain constitutional devices could ‘stretch’ virtue, so that it might be possible to get a somewhat better government than we deserve (for example, with the help of checks and balances). Not until Hume did it became common to suppose that a well-designed regime is not particularly reliant on virtue at all. On this view, arguably, it should have been easier than it has been to promote republican government in countries that are not accustomed to it. I am primarily an ethical and political theorist, rather than a jurisprude, a historian, or a number cruncher. However, I invite students who identify with a variety of approaches. There will be one term essay, 30-50 pp. as per Law School writing seminar standards, as well as weekly reflections of one page per week.
SMNR: Propaganda, Deception & Manipulation in the Technology Era
- MON 5:55 – 7:45 pm TNH 3.125
Course Information
- Course ID:
- 397S
- Cross-listed with:
- Other school
Registration Information
- Upperclass-only elective
Description
The purpose of this course is to expose students to the evolution of information warfare, from the 1700s to current day. The course will examine propaganda and disinformation campaigns, the psychology behind how they work and how they became central to both the Cold War and political elections. The course will then look at the advent of social media and algorithmic optimization to facilitate and accelerate the reach and impact. Students will explore the impact on both United States and global events such as Brexit and the French Presidential Elections. Finally, students will discuss where this will lead in the coming years and explore potential policy solutions across intelligence tools and strengthening critical thinking, as well as the legal implications including privacy laws, internet regulations and national security implications.
Please note that this is a writing seminar, with the final project being a paper between 30-50 pages long.
SMNR: Propaganda, Deception & Manipulation in the Technology Era
- MON 5:45 – 7:35 pm TNH 3.124
Course Information
- Course ID:
- 397S
- Cross-listed with:
- Other school
Registration Information
- Upperclass-only elective
Description
The purpose of this course is to expose students to the evolution of information warfare, from the 1700s to current day. The course will examine propaganda and disinformation campaigns, the psychology behind how they work and how they became central to both the Cold War and political elections. The course will then look at the advent of social media and algorithmic optimization to facilitate and accelerate the reach and impact. Students will explore the impact on both United States and global events such as Brexit and the French Presidential Elections. Finally, students will discuss where this will lead in the coming years and explore potential policy solutions across intelligence tools and strengthening critical thinking, as well as the legal implications including privacy laws, internet regulations and national security implications.
Please note that this is a writing seminar, with the final project being a paper between 30-50 pages long.
SMNR: Propaganda, Deception & Manipulation in the Technology Era
- MON 5:45 – 7:35 pm TNH 3.127
Course Information
- Course ID:
- 397S
- Cross-listed with:
- Other school
Registration Information
- Upperclass-only elective
Description
The purpose of this course is to expose students to the evolution of information warfare, from the 1700s to current day. The course will examine propaganda and disinformation campaigns, the psychology behind how they work and how they became central to both the Cold War and political elections. The course will then look at the advent of social media and algorithmic optimization to facilitate and accelerate the reach and impact. Students will explore the impact on both United States and global events such as Brexit and the French Presidential Elections. Finally, students will discuss where this will lead in the coming years and explore potential policy solutions across intelligence tools and strengthening critical thinking, as well as the legal implications including privacy laws, internet regulations and national security implications.
Please note that this is a writing seminar, with the final project being a paper between 30-50 pages long.
SMNR: Propaganda, Deception & Manipulation in the Technology Era
- MON 5:30 – 7:28 pm ONLINE
Course Information
- Course ID:
- 397S
- Cross-listed with:
- Other school
Registration Information
- Upperclass-only elective
Description
This course will be taught entirely online via Zoom.
The purpose of this course is to expose students to the evolution of information warfare, from the 1700s to current day. The course will examine propaganda and disinformation campaigns, the psychology behind how they work and how they became central to both the Cold War and political elections. The course will then look at the advent of social media and algorithmic optimization to facilitate and accelerate the reach and impact. Students will explore the impact on both United States and global events such as Brexit and the French Presidential Elections. Finally, students will discuss where this will lead in the coming years and explore potential policy solutions across intelligence tools and strengthening critical thinking, as well as the legal implications including privacy laws, internet regulations and national security implications.
SMNR: Propaganda, Deception & Manipulation in the Technology Era
- MON 5:45 – 7:35 pm JON 6.257
Course Information
- Course ID:
- 397S
- Cross-listed with:
- Other school
Registration Information
- Upperclass-only elective
Description
The purpose of this course is to expose students to the evolution of information warfare, from the 1700s to current day. The course will examine propaganda and disinformation campaigns, the psychology behind how they work and how they became central to both the Cold War and political elections. The course will then look at the advent of social media and algorithmic optimization to facilitate and accelerate the reach and impact. Students will explore the impact on both United States and global events such as Brexit and the French Presidential Elections. Finally, students will discuss where this will lead in the coming years and explore potential policy solutions across intelligence tools and strengthening critical thinking, as well as the legal implications including privacy laws, internet regulations and national security implications.
SMNR: Race Perspectives for Future Lawyers
- WED 5:45 – 7:35 pm JON 6.206
Course Information
- Course ID:
- 397S
Registration Information
- Upperclass-only elective
Description
Race continues to play a central role in American life and no where is this more present that in the legal profession. This course will help lawyers raise their level of cultural intelligence and in the process it will make them more effective at their jobs. Students who take this course will understand how race plays itself out in the courtroom, during a deposition, during discovery, when writing appeals, during jury selection, in conversation with both the senior and junior partners of the firm, during arbitration, when hiring expert witnesses, during complex legal transactions, and with meeting opposing counsel.
SMNR: Race and Politics - From the Black Power Movement to the Age of Trump
- FRI 10:35 am – 12:33 pm ONLINE
Course Information
- Course ID:
- 397S
Registration Information
- Upperclass-only elective
Description
This course will be taught entirely online via Zoom.
This course looks at the intersection of race and the political process from the Black Power Movement to the 2016 election of President Donald Trump. While the course will focus heavily on the African-American experience, attention will also be given to the distinct experiences of Latino Americans and to a lesser extent, South Asians. Throughout the semester we will examine the following themes that continue to shape American life such as: ghettoization; the politics of public schools; police-community relations; the racial politics of health care; unemployment and underemployment; immigration; whiteness; the prison industrial complex; gentrification; the Obama years; and the rise of Trump. The course will take a topical approach while putting these issues in a broader historical context. While this course is not a Law Course per se, all of these issues intersect with the law in interesting ways. The goal is for students to think critically about current issues related to race.
SMNR: Race in the Age of Trump
- THU 2:15 – 4:05 pm JON 6.257
Course Information
- Course ID:
- 397S
Registration Information
- Upperclass-only elective
Description
No description text available.SMNR: Refugee Law and Policy
- MON 3:45 – 5:35 pm TNH 3.125
Course Information
- Course ID:
- 397S
Registration Information
- Upperclass-only elective
- Prof. keeps own waitlist
Description
This writing seminar will examine international and domestic refugee law and policy. Drawing on international and comparative jurisprudence, as well as United States law, the course situates refugee law in its global context and equips students to undertake both sophisticated legal analysis and advocacy in this field. The seminar will trace the development of the U.N. Refugee Convention and U.S. asylum law, including the Refugee Act of 1980. Students will discuss the institutional frameworks for making refugee claims and will consider the roles of key actors, such as the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Students in the seminar will discuss the refugee definition and the grounds of eligibility for protection (race, religion, nationality, political opinion and social group) that are applicable worldwide, with a special emphasis on cutting-edge claims involving gang violence and gender-based harm. Students will also assess legal and institutional efforts to respond to the situation of other forced migrants who do not fit within the refugee definition. In addition, the seminar will examine the procedures for seeking refugee status and the adequacy of the protections offered to forced migrants. Finally, students will consider policies and practices regarding detention of applicants for protection and integration of refugees into the socio-economic fabric of their host countries. A significant portion of students' grades for the course will be based upon completion of a final seminar paper (minimum 25 double-spaced pages, inclusive of footnotes). Each student will also write several shorter reflection papers (2-3 pages) throughout the semester, which will be considered in assigning the final grade. In addition, class participation will be an important component for grading purposes.
SMNR: Refugee Law and Policy
- MON 4:15 – 6:13 pm ONLINE
Course Information
- Course ID:
- 397S
Registration Information
- Upperclass-only elective
- Prof. keeps own waitlist
Description
This course will be taught entirely online via Zoom.
This writing seminar will examine international and domestic refugee law and policy. Drawing on international and comparative jurisprudence, as well as United States law, the course situates refugee law in its global context and equips students to undertake both sophisticated legal analysis and advocacy in this field. The seminar will trace the development of the U.N. Refugee Convention and U.S. asylum law, including the Refugee Act of 1980. Students will discuss the institutional frameworks for making refugee claims and will consider the roles of key actors, such as the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Students in the seminar will discuss the refugee definition and the grounds of eligibility for protection (race, religion, nationality, political opinion and social group) that are applicable worldwide, with a special emphasis on cutting- edge claims involving gang violence and gender-based harm. Students will also assess legal and institutional efforts to respond to the situation of other forced migrants who do not fit within the refugee definition. In addition, the seminar will examine the procedures for seeking refugee status and the adequacy of the protections offered to forced migrants. Finally, students will consider policies and practices regarding detention of applicants for protection and integration of refugees into the socio-economic fabric of their host countries. A significant portion of students' grades for the course will be based upon completion of a final seminar paper (minimum 25 double-spaced pages, inclusive of footnotes). Each student will also write several shorter reflection papers (2-3 pages) throughout the semester, which will be considered in assigning the final grade. In addition, class participation will be an important component for grading purposes.
SMNR: Regulation of Financial Markets
- THU 4:30 – 6:20 pm
Course Information
- Course ID:
- 397S
Registration Information
- Upperclass-only elective
Description
Financial regulation is the principal tool used by the public or official sector to achieve or approach financial stability and market integrity. The events of 2023 and 2020-21, and the impact of the financial cataclysms of 2008-10, prove that in times of severe stress (whether or not fundamentally economic or financial) the functioning of and support by financial regulation is both objectively and subjectively central. It's also notable that regulation can stifle important ways in which finance can making funding available to meet the needs of a population and the innovation that enables the financial system to address the needs of the real economy. This seminar reviews the structure and operations of financial market regulation--specifically securities, derivatives (or swaps), banking, and systems to inhibit money laundering and terrorist (or "threat") financing. We will concentrate on United States regulatory systems, but we will -- as we must-- examine the international regulatory regimes and the cross-border effects of regulation. Know it or not, or like it or not, regulation of financial markets touches and changes every aspect of our economic lives. (Paying rent and buying groceries and obtaining cash from an ATM and obtaining funding for nonprofit organizations are parts of those economic lives, as are public and private issuances of securities, and multibillion dollar finacings.) This topic includes cryptocurrency, blockchain records, fintech, public-sector support for markets and issuers, and consumer credit regulation, all of which we will discuss during the class as time permits. This is not a substitute for a securities regulation course but, then, securities regulation is not a prerequisite for this class. A major paper will be required at the end of the course. Course grades are determined by class participation, the paper, and a short writing assignment to be completed in the first part of the course. (Class participation may include some short, narrow quizzes that are calibrated to assess the general achievement of learning outcomes.) Consistently with a recognition that the topic has broad application, the course materials come from many sources (some of which may be surprising) and are in different media. That having been said, one requisite for the course--by no means a formal one, but a real requirement-- is that the students have an interest in learning about the area. And, notwithstanding the language that precedes this sentence, the instructor is pretty casual.
SMNR: Regulation of Financial Markets
- THU 4:30 – 6:20 pm TNH 3.127
Course Information
- Course ID:
- 397S
Registration Information
- Upperclass-only elective
Description
Financial regulation is the principal tool used by the public or official sector to achieve or approach financial stability and market integrity. The events of 2020-21, and the impact of the financial cataclysms of 2008-10, prove that in times of severe stress (whether or not fundamentally economic or financial) the functioning of and support by financial regulation is both objectively and subjectively central. It's also notable that regulation can stifle important ways in which finance can making funding available to meet the needs of a population and the innovation that enables the financial system to address the needs of the real economy. This seminar reviews the structure and operations of financial market regulation--specifically securities, derivatives (or swaps), banking, and systems to inhibit money laundering and terrorist (or "threat") financing. We will concentrate on United States regulatory systems, but we will -- as we must-- examine the international regulatory regimes and the cross-border effects of regulation. Know it or not, or like it or not, regulation of financial markets touches and changes every aspect of our economic lives. (Paying rent and buying groceries and obtaining cash from an ATM and obtaining funding for nonprofit organizations are parts of those economic lives, as are public and private issuances of securities, and multibillion dollar finacings.) This topic includes cryptocurrency, blockchain records, fintech, public-sector support for markets and issuers, and consumer credit regulation, all of which we will discuss during the class as time permits. This is not a substitute for a securities regulation course but, then, securities regulation is not a prerequisite for this class. A major paper will be required at the end of the course. Course grades are determined by class participation, the paper, and a short writing assignment to be completed in the first part of the course. (Class participation may include some short, narrow quizzes that are calibrated to assess the general achievement of learning outcomes.) Consistently with a recognition that the topic has broad application, the course materials come from many sources (some of which may be surprising) and are in different media. That having been said, one requisite for the course--by no means a formal one, but a real requirement-- is that the students have an interest in learning about the area. And, notwithstanding the language that precedes this sentence, the instructor is pretty casual.
SMNR: Regulation of Financial Markets
- THU 4:15 – 6:05 pm JON 6.207
Course Information
- Course ID:
- 397S
Registration Information
- Upperclass-only elective
Description
Financial regulation is the principal tool used by the public or official sector to achieve or approach financial stability and market integrity. The events of 2020-21, and the impact of the financial cataclysms of 2008-10, prove that in times of severe stress (whether or not fundamentally economic or financial) the functioning of and support by financial regulation is both objectively and subjectively central. It's also notable that regulation can stifle important ways in which finance can making funding available to meet the needs of a population and the innovation that enables the financial system to address the needs of the real economy. This seminar reviews the structure and operations of financial market regulation--specifically securities, derivatives (or swaps), banking, and systems to inhibit money laundering and terrorist (or "threat") financing. We will concentrate on United States regulatory systems, but we will -- as we must-- examine the international regulatory regimes and the cross-border effects of regulation. Know it or not, or like it or not, regulation of financial markets touches and changes every aspect of our economic lives. (Paying rent and buying groceries and obtaining cash from an ATM and obtaining funding for nonprofit organizations are parts of those economic lives, as are public and private issuances of securities, and multibillion dollar finacings.) This topic includes cryptocurrency, blockchain records, fintech, public-sector support for markets and issuers, and consumer credit regulation, all of which we will discuss during the class as time permits. This is not a substitute for a securities regulation course but, then, securities regulation is not a prerequisite for this class. A major paper will be required at the end of the course. Course grades are determined by class participation and the paper. (Class participation may include some short, narrow quizzes that are calibrated to assess the general achievement of learning outcomes.) Consistently with a recognition that the topic has broad application, the course materials come from many sources (some of which may be surprising) and are in different media. That having been said, one requisite for the course--by no means a formal one, but a real requirement-- is that the students have an interest in learning about the area. And, notwithstanding the language that precedes this sentence, the instructor is pretty casual.
SMNR: Regulation of Financial Markets
- THU 4:15 – 6:05 pm JON 6.206
Course Information
- Course ID:
- 397S
Registration Information
- Upperclass-only elective
Description
Financial regulation is the principal tool used by the public or official sector to achieve or approach financial stability and market integrity. The events of 2020, and the impact of the financial cataclysms of 2008-10, prove that in times of severe stress (whether or not fundamentally economic or financial) the functioning of and support by financial regulation is both objectively and subjectively central. It's also notable that regulation can stifle important ways in which finance can making funding available in ways that are consistent with the needs of a population and the innovation that enables the financial system to address the needs of the real economy. This seminar reviews the structure and operations of financial market regulation--specifically securities, derivatives (or swaps), banking, and systems to inhibit money laundering and terrorist (or "threat") financing. We will concentrate on United States regulatory systems, but we will -- as we must-- examine the international regulatory regimes and the cross-border effects of regulation. Know it or not, or like it or not, regulation of financial markets touches and changes every aspect of our economic lives. (Paying rent and buying groceries and obtaining cash from an ATM and obtaining funding for nonprofit organizations are parts of those economic lives, as are public and private issuances of securities, and multibillion dollar finacings.) This topic includes cryptocurrency, blockchain records, fintech, public-sector support for markets and issuers, and consumer credit regulation, all of which we will discuss during the class as time permits. This is not a substitute for a securities regulation course but, then, securities regulation is not a prerequisite for this class. A major paper will be required at the end of the course. Course grades are determined by class participation and the paper. (Class participation may include some short, narrow quizzes that are calibrated to assess the general achievement of learning outcomes.) Consistently with a recognition that the topic has broad application, the course materials come from many sources (some of which may be surprising) and are in different media. That having been said, one requisite for the course--by no means a formal one, but a real requirement-- is that the students have an interest in learning about the area. And, notwithstanding the language that precedes this sentence, the instructor is pretty casual.
SMNR: Regulation of Financial Markets
- THU 4:15 – 6:05 pm ONLINE
Course Information
- Course ID:
- 397S
Registration Information
- Upperclass-only elective
Description
This course will be taught entirely online via Zoom.
Financial regulation is the principal tool used by the public or official sector to achieve or approach financial stability and market integrity. The events of the early months of 2020 prove that in times of severe stress (whether or not fundamentally economic or financial) the functioning of and support by financial regulation is both objectively and subjectively central. This seminar reviews the structure and operations of financial market regulation--specifically securities, derivatives (or swaps), banking, and systems to inhibit money laundering and terrorist (or "threat") financing. We will concentrate on United States regulatory systems, but we will -- as we must-- examine the international regulatory regimes and the cross-border effects of regulation. Know it or not, or like it or not, regulation of financial markets touches and changes every aspect of our economic lives. (Paying rent and buying groceries and obtaining cash from an ATM and obtaining funding for nonprofit organizations are parts of those economic lives, as are public and private issuances of securities, and multibillion dollar finacings.) This topic includes cryptocurrency, blockchain records, public-sector support for markets and issuers, and consmer credit regulation, all of which we will discuss during the class as time permits. This is not a substitute for a securities regulation course but, then, securities regulation is not a prerequisite for this class. A major paper will be required at the end of the course. Course grades are determined by class participation and the paper. Consistently with a recognition that the topic has broad application, the course materials come from many sources (some of which may be surprising) and are in different media. That having been said, one requisite for the course--by no means a formal one, but a real requirement-- is that the students have an interest in learning about the area.