Law, Policy, and Everyday People

This is an illustration from and overhead angle, depicting several people congregating in the shape of a judge's gavel.

How does the law impact everyday people? 

Project description

Broadly, this project asks the student to understand the perspective on law of an everyday person and apply those learnings to analyze real life policy sociologically. I’ve designed this project with three (overlapping) goals in mind: 1) a deepening understanding of class concepts, including an ability to explain analytically how law impacts everyday people 2) the development of concrete skills necessary in a variety of law-related fields 3) the ability to understand, explain, and apply these skills and concepts outside of the classroom, including for prospective employers. There are two phases to this project. The first is an interview phase. Students will develop qualitative interview skills in a series of in-class practicums, and then select a person in their life to interview about their experiences with the law. Next, students will work in groups to use their interview learnings to analyze a specific real-life policy. With training on constructing policy briefs, students will craft a presentation that answers the following questions: How would a sociologist think about and analyze this policy? And how might this law/policy impact everyday people? 

Project outcome

You will create a policy brief in presentation format 

Project details

Timing, eligibility and other details
Length of commitment About 3-5 months
Start time Spring 
In-person, remote, or hybrid? In-Person Project 
Level of collaboration Large group collaboration (4+ students) 
Benefits Academic credit 
Who is eligible All undergraduate students who are currently enrolled in SOC 373

Project mentor

Victoria Piehowski

Assistant Professor of Sociology

Sociology and Criminology

Phone: (612) 730-0883

Email: vpiehows@buffalo.edu

Start the project

  1. Ensure you are enrolled in the course for the correct semester.
  2. Click the button to start the digital badge below.
Start the Digital Badge

Preparation activities

Once you begin the digital badge series, you will have access to all the necessary activities and instructions. Your mentor has indicated they would like you to also complete the specific preparation activities below. After you’re approved to begin the project, your mentor will send the relevant materials. Please reference this when you get to Step 2 of the Preparation Phase. 

  • In-class practicum: how to prepare an interview guide
  • In-class practicum: how to conduct an interview
  • In-class practicum: how to write a policy brief
  • Read required texts on legal consciousness, provided in the syllabus 

Keywords

Sociology, criminology, policy, law, interviewing