This course surveys federal civil rights law, including protections against discrimination on the basis of race, national origin, gender, disability, and sexual identity.
The course focuses on federal statutes prohibiting discrimination. Topics include protections in education, employment, voting rights, public accommodations and housing, and police activity.
Students will examine how federal statutory rights supplement constitutional rights. The course may explore state-created rights and federal regulations, and how those provisions enhance protections against discrimination.
Throughout the course, students will consider constitutional, historical, and critical approaches to defining "minority" status and civil rights.