Courses | Columbia Law School

Section Description Provided by Instructor

The readings of this seminar cover some of the major theories of property, both positive and normative, including the labor theory, the personhood theory, welfarist theories, and rights theories. We will also discuss the question of how ownership and property rights are structured, both legally and in social practice, looking at issues such as the numerus clausus principle, commodification, and the role of social norms. Throughout our deliberations we will try to bring these theoretical questions to life by grounding them in some of the most persistent and contentious problems facing contemporary society.