Female Role Models in Law: Biographical Perspectives on Legal Change
This interdisciplinary course explores the lives and legacies of influential women in the field of law, including judges, legal scholars, and activists. Drawing on biographical didactics, students will engage with personal narratives to understand how individual experiences have shaped legal systems in Germany, Europe, and globally.
Through case studies and critical analysis, the course examines how female role models like Ruth Bader Ginsburg have contributed to legal reform, human rights advocacy, and the development of gender-sensitive jurisprudence. Students will investigate the socio-political contexts in which these women operated, the challenges they faced, and the impact of their work on contemporary legal thought and practice.
Key topics include:
- Biographical approaches to legal education
- Pioneering women in constitutional and international law
- Feminist legal activism and its global dimensions
- The intersection of gender, law, and social justice
By the end of the course, students will have developed a nuanced understanding of how personal histories intersect with legal structures and how female legal professionals and activists have transformed the legal landscape.
