Social justice is often presented as the goal to be achieved by those who seek to reform society to be more just and equitable. The state is often promoted as the ideal instrument to achieve this goal. However, there is an abundance of research from social scientists demonstrating that the political-legal system favors the status quo and can hardly be considered a tool for radical change. In fact, because the law appears objective, it can often be used as a powerful social tool to advance the interests of the powerful at the expense of the powerless while appearing neutral. In this course, we will analyze some real examples of how the State can be used to promote and combat inequality, seeking to offer students a deeper understanding of the complexity of social structures and their often invisible impact on our lives.