Roundtable
Our Roundtable Discussion initiative was created in the Spring of 2019 to provide a new dimension to the legal research and discourse that the Columbia Undergraduate Law Review aims to promote. In Fall of 2020, CULR began its first collaborative Roundtable series with the Cambridge University Law Society’s Per Incuriam.
For each roundtable discussion, CULR staff writers are asked to respond to a prompt or issue from their own perspective in no more than 750 words. With various voices engaged in the discussion of a single legal issue, Roundtable highlights the multi-faceted nature of law in a digestible and accessible way.
No. 9: The Criminalization of Homelessness in the United States and the United Kingdom
In Partnership with Cambridge University’s Per Incuriam
Across the United States, states have taken steps to address homelessness, ranging from the enforcement of state supreme court decisions to the passage of sweeping legislation. At the same time, individual state legislatures have become battlegrounds for homelessness rights in states that attempt to reduce the visibility of homeless individuals rather than address the systemic issues behind the rise in homelessness. To this end, many states have resorted to indirect anti-homelessness legislation, including laws and ordinances that ban loitering and begging. This Roundtable addresses state laws on homelessness, the intersection of judicial activism and homelessness, the 19th century roots of UK law on homelessness, and the path toward decriminalizing homelessness.
No.8: Roe v. Wade: Past, Present, and Future
In Partnership with Cambridge University’s Per Incuriam
Abortion is one of the most intimate and difficult choices many women make at least once in their lives. Indeed, almost one in four American women have an abortion by age 45. Opponents of abortion, however, claim that Americans have long opposed this medical practice and frame Roe v. Wade as an “anomaly.” However, the history of abortion in the United States reveals how common and necessary the procedure has been. This Roundtable explores abortion law prior to Roe v. Wade, Roe v. Wade itself, abortion law following Roe v. Wade, and the future of abortion law.
No. 7: Health Care for Undocumented Immigrants
In Partnership with Cambridge University’s Per Incuriam
U.S. legislative acts pertaining to health care rights have historically limited undocumented immigrants’ access to such benefits. While alternative paths to access are available at the moment, they are far from sufficient for undocumented immigrants seeking treatment. This Roundtable explores the existing healthcare rights of undocumented immigrants, barriers to further access, and the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on these rights.
No. 6: The Promises and Problems of the International Criminal Court
In Partnership with Cambridge University’s Per Incuriam
The International Criminal Court (ICC) is an autonomous international tribunal that is authorized to condemn individuals responsible for genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and crimes of aggression. Established by the Rome Statute in 2002, the ICC is the first and only international court with such jurisdiction. One hundred and twenty-three countries have signed on to the Rome Statute, which establishes the court’s jurisdiction, structure, and telos to “guarantee lasting respect for the enforcement of international justice.” This Roundtable explores the role of the ICC in international law, its promising aspects and shortcomings, and the future of the institution.
Meet the Executive Editors for Fall 2020
Jake Gray, Executive Editor of Online
Jake Gray is a senior in Columbia College majoring in Philosophy, hoping to specialize in moral and political philosophy. He is passionate about political activism, criminal justice reform, and social responsibility.
Abhishek Hariharan, Executive Editor of Online
Abhishek Hariharan is a junior in Columbia College, majoring in Financial Economics. He is from South River, New Jersey, and has a profound interest in constitutional and international law.