Splash Biography

Legal communication is everywhere, but it might as well be nowhere for how often we notice it. How many of us take the time to pore over the 'terms and conditions' tab or ponder before accepting cookies on the Internet? Do we even know the strengths and weaknesses of the legal documents that built our nation? In this course, we will examine the role language plays as the backbone of constitutional, contract, and intellectual property law, diving into opinions from landmark court cases and the letter of the law. The classroom will be an active forum for discussion, debate, and even disagreement -- embracing the uncertainty and ambiguity inherent to language and, in turn, the great power it can give to those who know how to wield it.

For many of us, the Thanksgiving dinner table has become a debate pulpit, Facebook pages a battleground, and text group chats a minefield. At the end of the day, no matter how strong your arguments are or how earnest your conviction is, the other side just doesn't change their mind. And neither do you. Why are we like this -- always so ready to go to bat for our ideas, convinced we're the good guys? And, more importantly, why can't we actually convince anyone else? In this course, we explore the psychology behind moral and political identity, uncovering why political polarization has become more intense now than ever. As we peruse a wealth of cutting edge scientific research, we will trace the values underlying our beliefs and reasoning, perhaps realizing that civil discourse and common ground is much closer than we think.