Course Syllabus

O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs

LAW AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS

SYLLABUS

Indiana University School of Public & Environmental Affairs

SPEA-V 184 - Law and Public Affairs – Fall 2026 – Class Number 4276

 Course Description

This course provides a basic understanding of law and how it relates to creating and implementing public policy. The course emphasizes US law but includes comparative material to help examine differing approaches on key structures or principles. Students learn who has power to make and implement laws, the different forms law takes, how to find and interpret law at a basic level, and key principles of law that shape public affairs.

Learning Outcomes & Goals

The course will introduce you to the processes, the participants, and the issues that define legal

discourse in America. By the end of the course, you will understand and be able to:

• Explain how and why lawmaking powers differ among branches and levels of government
• Apply to real and hypothetical events, major rules or principles of law that affect how government acts on public affairs issues
• Explain how civil disputes and criminal charges are resolved in America
• Explain at a basic level how administrative agencies make and implement law
• Identify one or more examples of how demographic differences have affected or may affect someone’s experience with American law
• Compare US and foreign approaches on one or more selected issues of law and policy
• Conduct basic online research to find relevant and valid law and related information
• Form persuasive oral and written arguments that incorporate legal and policy considerations
• Relate the major course concepts to events in the news or history or students’ own lives

Throughout the semester, you will develop the ability to think critically about different proposals

advanced to address major public issues, and learn to craft, communicate, and defend your own

analyses.

Required Text & Materials

The required textbook for this course is Law 101 by Professor Jay M. Feinman (6th edition, Oxford University Press, 2023). You can purchase the book on amazon.com for about $30.

All other readings and materials will be posted to Canvas (https://canvas.iu.edu) under the “Files” section as electronic files or they will be sent to you as hyperlinks. The readings posted to the “Files” section are in folders that are labeled to correspond to the relevant class meeting dates and subjects listed in the Course Calendar below.

I like to take advantage whenever possible of current events to illustrate issues we are addressing in the course, or new writing on relevant subject matter, and gauge throughout the course whether we can go faster or slower through some material. Accordingly, please be aware that I may revise the course readings to include material reflecting new developments in the topics we are covering, or new topics altogether, and may adjust the pace of readings and assignment deadlines as needed.

If you have problems navigating or using Canvas, then immediately set up an appointment from University Information Technology Services (UTIS). A lack of knowledge with Canvas will not be accepted as an excuse for failure to complete a reading assignment or for a late submission of an assignment.