The question of property rights as constitutional rights has been much discussed and debated in many countries. Some countries - South Africa, Germany and Israel - have given specific constitutional protection to private property rights. In other countries, this notion has been rejected. In the United States, constitutional protection of private property rights has a complex and much-disputed history. This seminar examines the issue of protection of private property rights, comparatively and sociologically, asking what types of property are protected under different constitutional regimes, what is the scope of such constitutional protection, what actions are considered violations of property rights, and what remedies are available to property owners. To what extent do the social, political, and cultural traditions of a particular society shape the security and stability of property holdings, in the legal sense, and in society in general.