Citizenship: The Law, History, and Politics of U.S. Citizenship

LAW9157
Section 1, Spring 26

Schedule Information

Enrollment: /16
Credits: 3
Days Time Room Start Date End Date

Thu

 		1540-1740 WB162 01/22/2026 04/23/2026

Course Description

This seminar examines the development of U.S. citizenship through law, history, and politics, including topics such as naturalization, birthright citizenship (jus soli), citizenship by descent (jus sanguinis), and expatriation/denaturalization. Each of these legal issues will be discussed through the lens of law, history, politics, and policy, with a focus on the intersection of immigration law and citizenship law. Students will study the laws on the books today, the current debates over those laws, as well as the history that led to the current legal framework.

Course Requirements

Exam Information

Final Type (if any): None

Description: None

Written Work Product

Students will have a choice of submitting short response papers on a regular basis during the semester (directly to the instructor, not via Canvas), or alternatively writing a longer paper due via EXPO by noon on May 7, 2026 (the day before the last day of the exam period). Students who intend to take the final paper option for their Upper-level Writing Requirement must initiate a "special request" form to the instructor by February 23, 2026. The e-form and instructions are available via LawWeb. Late requests and retroactive exceptions will not be granted.

Other Course Details

Prerequisites: None Concurrencies: None

Exclusive With: None

Laptops Allowed: Yes

First Day Attendance Required: No

Course Resources: To be announced via Canvas.

Graduation Requirements

Satisfies Understanding Bias/Racism/Cross-Cultural Competency requirement: Yes

Satisfies Writing Requirement: No

Credits For Prof. Skills Requirement: No

Satisfies Professional Ethics: No

Additional Course Information

Schedule No.: 126219078

Modified Type: ABA Seminar

Cross Listed: No

Waitlist Count: 0

Concentrations: Democracy and Civil Rights , Human Rights and Immigration , Legal History

Evaluation Portal Via LawWeb Opens: Tuesday, April 14, 12:01 AM

Evaluation Portal Via LawWeb Closes: Sunday, April 26, 11:59 PM

Information reflected on this page was last refreshed at: Tuesday, July 08, 2025 - 7:02 AM *

*During open enrollment periods, live enrollment data may be found in SIS.