7771. Islamic Finance and Investment Law

This course introduces the subject of Islam, capital, and social responsibility. We begin with an brief overview of Islamic law and ethics and proceed to study how Islam countenances the relationships among earning, investing, and production and social and environmental welfare. We will review Islam¿s long standing legal tradition vis a vis the natural and built environments, good governance, and social welfare concerns, such as human and labor rights, as well as philanthropy. We will study Muslim scholars' views on debt, particularly as a tool to create participatory, inclusive and more equitable markets. We will also study contemporary Islamic venture capital and private equity, real estate and insurance transactions and products. Students should be interested in business and wealth and passionate about questions of inclusivity, social responsibility, and equality.