7295. Constitutions, Human Rights, and Inequality

This seminar explores the structural drivers of inequality across jurisdictions and the role of constitutional and human rights law in shaping—and often reinforcing—those dynamics. We will examine how policies like anti-collective bargaining laws, exclusionary zoning, and healthcare regulations produce material disparities and how constitutional frameworks engage with (or fail to counteract) these forces. Topics will include labor rights, the right to housing, healthcare as a human right, and the broader question of whether constitutions can be tools for economic justice or merely entrench existing hierarchies. As debates over income inequality, housing shortages, and healthcare costs intensify, this course will provide students with a timely and comparative perspective. Through case studies from various jurisdictions, we will assess how different legal systems approach these issues and what lessons can be drawn for the U.S. context. Students will critically engage with legal doctrine, policy choices, and theoretical perspectives on constitutional design and socioeconomic rights. The course will be especially valuable for those interested in public law, human rights, and the intersection of law and political economy.