Vienna 2013 Course:

Comparative Civil Liberties, taught by Professor Wilson Parker

Wake Forest Law students study individual rights in Constitutional Law I during the first year.  Comparative Civil Liberties will build on that knowledge as one studies individual rights under various European constitutions and the European Convention of Human Rights.  Topics will include reproductive rights, freedom of religion, defamation, hate speech, sexual orientation, capital punishment, etc.  In addition to cases, we will explore various materials that address the rights of individuals.  We will read works of political philosophy and literature and view films that explore the relationship between citizens and the state.  Austrian students will also take the class.  Discussing the varied materials will help American and Austrian students understand and evaluate their respective worldviews.

Students can expect to gain an understanding of theories of jurisprudence, political philosophy, and the substantive constitutional law of various countries.  The course requirement will be a paper on a comparative topic of the student’s choice that will be due at the start of the fall semester.

Non Wake Forest law students should confirm with their own schools that the credits for this program will be fully transferable. Grades for non-Wake Forest law students will be on a pass/fail basis unless a different arrangement is made with the program director.