MLAW378F

From the evolution of tenant rights in the 20th century to the mortgage crisis of 2008, housing and land rights and disputes have figured prominently in how societies are shaped and develop over time. This course aims to explore some aspects of the diverse and increasingly complex body of laws, policies, and attempted solutions related to housing and land in a largely unequal world and society. How has private land ownership changed societies in the modern era? What is the role of the state in addressing housing shortages and injustices related to land and housing? What does a fundamental human right to housing look like in the real world? These issues, and others, including urbanization, re-colonization, climate change, and discrimination form the core of a course that will provide students with both local, national and international perspectives on a fundamental issue for all humans living today - shelter and sustenance.