Dear Colleagues:

The Public Affairs Lunch discussion on Friday, February 10, will consider the concept of “animal rights.” Beliefs about how humans should relate to animals are either explicit or implicit in all religions. The idea of “animal rights” today is an ethical and religious viewpoint that has become a social movement with interest groups and activists. Adopting a language of “rights” immediately makes the subject one of law and its limits. Much of the goal of the movement is to translate its preferences into law, either by legislation or adjudication. So Kathy Hessler, Associate Professor of Law, will lead a discussion on The Law and “Animal Rights.”

Professor Hessler received her J.D. from the College of William and Mary and an LL.M. from Georgetown University Law Center. Before coming to Case in 2000, she also taught at Capital University Law School, the University of Dayton, Georgetown, and Cornell. At Case she has taught clinics in family law, civil law, and community development, and since Fall of 2002 a seminar on animal law. Her work locates animal law within the broader trend of social reform activism and debates about rights.

We’ll meet in the Toepfer Room of Adelbert Hall from 12:30 – 1:30 p.m.. Cookies and beverages are kindly provided by the Office of University Communications. Come with questions!

Best,

Joseph White, Ph.D.
Luxenberg Family Professor and Chair
Department of Political Science
Director, Center for Policy Studies
Case Western Reserve University
Mather House 111
11201 Euclid Avenue
Cleveland OH 44106-7109
(216) 368-2426
joseph.white@case.edu

More About Our Guest

A former staff attorney at Legal Services of Northern Virginia, Ms. Hessler had extensive teaching experience (Cornell, University of Dayton, Georgetown, Capital University) prior to joining our faculty in 2000. She has published numerous articles on the suppression of free speech. She teaches in the Civil Clinic, the Animal Law Seminar, and in the CaseArc Program.  CV: Click Here

Spring Semester Schedule

January 27: Iraq and Vietnam: Some Questions. Joe White will try to provoke discussion in response to Professor George Herring’s talk on January 24, and in anticipation of the programs on January 30, February 1, and February 2.

February 3: Medical Markets and Health Savings Accounts. J.B. Silvers, Treuhaft Professor of Health Systems Management, will discuss the new thing that could have a big effect on health insurance – and it’s not the Medicare drug plans.

February 10: The Law and “Animal Rights.” Katherine M. Hessler, Professor of Law.

February 17: Seeds of Democracy in China? Developments in Local Government. Forrest Qingshan Tan, Professor of Political Science, Cleveland State University.

February 24: Discussion of the History of Case Western Reserve University. Dick Baznik, Director of Case’s Institute for the Study of the University in Society. In the Guilford Lounge.

March 3: Turkey: Informal Observations on Education, Society, Politics, and the Price of Yakut. John Grabowski, Krieger-Mueller Associate Professor of Applied History and Director of Research, Western Reserve Historical Society.

March 10: Bird Flu. Thomas M. Daniel, Professor Emeritus of Medicine.

March 24: Robots and Emotions. Wyatt Newman, Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.

March 31: Sticks, Stones, and Domain Names: The Policy Stakes in Who Controls Internet Addresses. Jacqueline Lipton, Associate Professor of Law and Associate Director, Frederick K. Cox International Law Center.

April 7: The Yucca Mountain Nuclear Waste Disposal Controversy. Joe H. Payer, Professor of Materials Science & Engineering and Director, Department of Energy Corrosion and Materials Performance Cooperative.

April 14: How Environmental Regulations Fragment Gasoline Markets. Andy Morriss, Galen J. Roush Professor of Business Law and Regulation.

April 21: Downsizing and Disability. Mark Votruba, Assistant Professor of Economics.

April 28: Lawn-O-Rama: Coming to Terms With an American Obsession. Ted Steinberg, Professor of History and Law.

Parking: For those people who seek to make special arrangements about parking, the contact person now will be Fay Alexander.  Her phone number is 368-4440, and her e-mail is fabrienne.alexander@case.edu.