Teaching / Enseignement

2021/2022 Courses / Cours de 2021/2022

In the Fall 2021 Term, I’m teaching LAWS 3908: Approaches in Legal Studies II. This course explores research methodologies in the interdisciplinary field of legal studies beyond doctrinal research. The goal of the course is to give students the necessary tools to conduct a research project in legal studies. To accomplish this, the course is divided in two parts: (1) an introduction to concepts, aspects, issues, etc., relevant to all social sciences and humanities research with a focus on legal studies; and (2) an exploration of particular methodologies relevant to legal studies. After introducing what is (and is not) inter/trans/multi-disciplinary approaches to law, the first part will cover topics such as designing a research project; the role and importance of theory in research; the meaning and role of methodology, epistemology and ontology; research ethics, both formal (i.e. research ethics boards) and informal (personal ethics, community ethics, etc.); and how to approach “law” within interdisciplinary research. The second part will explore some of the text-based (broadly defined) methodologies for legal studies such as legal history, legal geography, discourse analysis, narrative approaches, hermeneutics (interpretative methodologies), and comparative legal research. The course concludes by looking at the place and role of activism within legal research. At the end of this course, student should be able to engage with and understand the various aspects of research, and to create and conduct their own text-based legal studies research project.

In the Winter 2022 Term, I’m teaching LAWS 3800: Law of Environmental Quality and LAWS 4904 Advanced Legal Topics – Ocean and Coastal Law.

LAWS 3800 offers an introduction to world of environmental law, the main tool we use to regulate our social relationship with the environment, whether “natural” or human-made. It covers environmental law’s basic concepts, framework, main methods of regulation, relations to socio-economic issues and politics, and some key contemporary issues (e.g. climate change). In the age of the Anthropocene—a geological era characterised by the dramatic impact of (a subset of) humans on the biosphere—and in a settler colonial state like Canada where the application of settler law to Indigenous peoples is mired by systemic issues, environmental law is a legal field of particular importance. Given the breath of environmental law and the complexity of the issues it seeks to address, this course only offers an overview and focuses on ensuring students’ ability to navigate, understand and work with environmental law, and to engage with related environmental and social issues.

LAWS 4904 explores the legal regimes applicable to the governance of oceans and seas, including the regulation of coastal and land-based activities impacting or involving oceans and seas. It covers a breath of issues related to the governance of oceans, including the marine environment and our impact on it, navigation and trade, defense and piracy, natural resources exploitation, scientific research, migration and human rights, and jurisdictions. These issues will be explored through various lens, such as legal geography, legal history, political economy, and Indigenous worldviews. The course also covers various ocean and coastal governance tools, such as marine spatial planning, area-based management, Indigenous and co-management approaches, and activity-based regulations. While the course will include Canadian examples when relevant, the course takes a global approach to the topic. Oceans play a crucial role in humanity’s past, present and future. In addition to being the source of life on Earth, oceans provide a crucial means of transportation (especially for global trade), are an important source of food and other resources, contribute to culture and spirituality, and are an essential component of the biosphere. Their proper governance is essential at ensuring a sustainable future for humanity and other lifeforms on Earth. At the end of this course, students should be able to critically examine and engage with legal issues related to oceans and coastal areas.

Past Courses / Cours antérieures

• CML3351/3651 & DCL6939: Legal Research and Writing (Selected Problems) – International Law Commission / Recherche et rédaction juridiques (Problèmes choisis) – Commission du droit international (University of Ottawa/Université d’Ottawa)
• CML3580/3180: Clinique de droit de l’environnement / Environmental Law Clinic (University of Ottawa/Université d’Ottawa)

Supervision / Direction d’étudiant.e.s

I am open to supervise honours or master’s students interested in the following fields:

Je suis disponible pour diriger des projets de recherche d’étudiant.e.s au baccalauréat spécialisé ou à la maîtrise liés aux domaines suivants :

• Environmental law & policy / Droit et politique environnementale
• Public International Law / Droit international public
• Sexual orientation and gender identity and the law / L’orientation sexuelle, l’identité de genre et le droit
• Legal theory / Théories du droit
• Environmental theory/philosophy / Théories/philosophies environnementales
• Access to justice / Accès à la justice
• Legal history / Histoire du droit
• Administrative law / Droit administratif

Past supervision / Direction antérieure :

• N. LaMarche, J.D. Major Research Paper: Reconsidering the ILC’s Draft Convention Against Crimes Against Humanity: Accommodating Transitional Justice Mechanisms (University of Ottawa, 2019)
• P. Gagnon, mémoire de J.D. : Les programmes FIT et MicroFIT : projet de synthèse sur le développement durable et ses possibles formes de mise en œuvre (Université d’Ottawa, 2018)