The global rise in xenophobic and anti-immigrant politics is rapidly reconfiguring global, regional, and bilateral frameworks governing asylum and forced displacement. Civil society organizations whose work seeks to protect the human rights of refugees and forced migrants report escalating disregard for binding international legal obligations. The purpose of this policy lab is to support a global coalition of these organizations in mapping emergent regimes such as third-country deportation agreements, and to consider strategies for transnational collaboration to ensure just futures in the governance of forced displacement. Our partner is the Global Strategic Litigation Counsel, for whom we will be conducting most of our research; we may, however, determine that some of our work is more suited to academic publications or as output beyond the immediate needs of the GSLC. Ideally, students will enroll in consecutive quarters to maintain continuity and to develop knowledge and expertise throughout the research process. In the fall term, we will undertake foundational scoping work with GSLC guidance, which will then determine the specific research pathways for the subsequent quarters. There will be multiple opportunities to meet with the partner to assess and discuss the legal and policy landscape challenges and identify the support that meets their needs. Students will participate in consultations with the partner, conduct multidisciplinary research, and collaborate to produce appropriate written output and oral presentations of their research findings. The work product will focus on policy memoranda and may also include draft pleadings and other submissions to global policy-making fora. After the term begins, students accepted into the course can transfer from section (LAW 01) into section (LAW 02), which meets the R requirement, with consent of the instructor. Elements used in grading: Attendance, performance, class participation, written assignments. CONSENT APPLICATION: Interested students should submit a Policy Lab application (go to link SLS Registrar https://registrar.law.stanford.edu/).
2-3 units · Law Honors/Pass/Restrd Cr/Fail
The global rise in xenophobic and anti-immigrant politics is rapidly reconfiguring global, regional, and bilateral frameworks governing asylum and forced displacement. Civil society organizations whose work seeks to protect the human rights of refugees and forced migrants report escalating disregard for binding international legal obligations. The purpose of this policy lab is to support a global coalition of these organizations in mapping emergent regimes such as third-country deportation agreements, and to consider strategies for transnational collaboration to ensure just futures in the governance of forced displacement. Our partner is the Global Strategic Litigation Counsel, for whom we will be conducting most of our research; we may, however, determine that some of our work is more suited to academic publications or as output beyond the immediate needs of the GSLC. Ideally, students will enroll in consecutive quarters to maintain continuity and to develop knowledge and expertise throughout the research process. In the fall term, we will undertake foundational scoping work with GSLC guidance, which will then determine the specific research pathways for the subsequent quarters. There will be multiple opportunities to meet with the partner to assess and discuss the legal and policy landscape challenges and identify the support that meets their needs. Students will participate in consultations with the partner, conduct multidisciplinary research, and collaborate to produce appropriate written output and oral presentations of their research findings. The work product will focus on policy memoranda and may also include draft pleadings and other submissions to global policy-making fora. After the term begins, students accepted into the course can transfer from section (01) into section (02), which meets the R requirement, with consent of the instructor. Elements used in grading: Attendance, performance, class participation, written assignments. CONSENT APPLICATION: Interested students should submit a Policy Lab application (go to link SLS Registrar https://registrar.law.stanford.edu/).
Offered in Autumn 2026, Winter 2027, Spring 2027 at Stanford University.