Death Penalty

Catalog description

This upper-division elective course provides a comprehensive and balanced examination of capital punishment from a comparative and historical perspective. The course explores the legal foundations, procedural safeguards, and policy debates surrounding the death penalty in both abolitionist and retentionist jurisdictions. Students will analyze constitutional principles, including the Eighth Amendment’s prohibition of “cruel and unusual punishment,” and review how different legal systems interpret proportionality, due process, and deterrence. International conventions and national laws will be examined to understand how countries with varying political, cultural, and legal traditions regulate or prohibit capital punishment. Through a comparative approach, the course investigates similarities and differences in capital punishment practices across secular and religious legal systems. Emphasis is placed on understanding policy rationales, judicial reasoning, and evolving trends rather than advocating for or against specific positions.