LAW 744 - Endangered Species Act Seminar (2)

This course begins with a brief introduction addressing the various scientific, social and economic arguments relating to why individual species may need special legal protection. After a basic overview of how the Endangered Species Act actually operates to protect endangered and threatened species, the course then examines in detail the history of species protection laws in the U.S., culminating with the enactment in 1973 of the Endangered Species Act, together with its subsequent amendments to the present date. Finally, the course analyzes the function and operation of each of the most significant provisions of the act within the context of existing case law and current legal debates. Students in this course participate by individually completing a series of interactive exercises and learning modules monitored by the professor, and by engaging in a series of mostly asynchronous dialogues with other students in the course and moderated by the professor. Students are graded by their performance on weekly exercises and discussions, together with a written final examination.