Vorlesung: Family Law as Public Law: A Vulnerability Perspective (HS 2025)

from Lund University, Sweden

UZH Online Course Catalogue

OLAT

This course will unpack and challenge the idea of family law and the broader regulation of families as a purely private legal field. From a theoretical perspective, all sessions will draw from feminist legal theorist Martha Fineman’s universal vulnerability theory, which calls for a responsive state that enables all individuals—who are inherently vulnerable—to build resilience. After introducing this innovative theoretical framework, the course will explore a range of carefully selected topics, including the regulation of bodies, healthcare, elderly care, children’s rights, and social benefits. As a cross-cutting theme, the course will also devote some attention to examining the impact of AI technologies on legal practices and outcomes for families. As a distinctive feature, one session will take place at the Filmpodium cinema for a screening of “Vortex”, exploring aging, dementia, and the emotional and practical toll of elderly care.

Students will critically engage with the regulation of family relationships from a public law perspective, understanding how public law concerns and values compete and often clash with private interests and rights in shaping legal frameworks affecting families. More broadly, students will also develop an appreciation for the blurred boundaries between private law and public law.

A syllabus and reading materials will be shared on OLAT.

Essay

Students will have to write an essay.
Details will follow on OLAT.