LST 537 - Shifting Cultural Sands: The Rights of Americans in the 21st Century

This course will examine the historical forces which shaped the creation of the Bill of Rights of the United States Constitution, the Supreme Court’s various methods of interpreting the scope of individual rights contained within the United States Contitution, the difficulties inherent in maintaining an inclusive concept of individual rights in a society where strong government intervention is necessary to maintain law and order, and the positions of those who maintain that “activist judges” are writing law, thwarting the will of the majority, and usurping the legislative function of our elected officials.

Credits: 3