Teaching the Rule of Law

In the face of a changing dynamic between rule of law and authoritarianism, and as threats to the rule of law grow across the globe, there is an urgent need for law schools to incorporate rule of law into the pedagogy. Exposing students to the deep and complex literature of the rule of law and engaging them in historic and current debates over the rule of law and its relationship to democracy and authoritarianism should be a high priority for legal educators.

The Neukom Center works to strengthen our understanding of the legal and philosophical underpinnings of the rule of law and engage students in these deep and complex debates.. At the heart of this initiative is the Teaching the Rule of Law Toolkit, a comprehensive online repository that gathers, curates, and makes freely available syllabi, course materials, and pedagogical resources from law schools and universities across the country. By creating this centralized collection, the project enables professors and instructors to share best practices, discover innovative teaching approaches, and develop curricula that effectively convey the essential principles of the rule of law to the next generation of lawyers, policymakers, and engaged citizens. This collaborative effort reflects the Neukom Center’s broader commitment to advancing legal education and promoting a deeper public understanding of the rule of law as a cornerstone of democratic society.

The Neukom Center also offers a variety of courses and policy labs to Stanford Law students.