Description
Book SynopsisElgar Advanced Introductions are stimulating and thoughtful introductions to major fields in the social sciences, business, and law, expertly written by the world’s leading scholars. Designed to be accessible yet rigorous, they offer concise and lucid surveys of the substantive and policy issues associated with discrete subject areas.
This insightful Advanced Introduction provides a kaleidoscopic overview of key US civil liberties, including freedom of speech, press, assembly, and religion, limitations on search and seizure, due process in criminal proceedings, autonomy rights, rights of equality, and democratic participation.
Key Features:
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- Discusses the historical development and current status of core civil liberties
- Examines the tension between libertarian and egalitarian views of civil liberties
- Promotes further understanding of the role of the US Supreme Court and other actors in setting levels of protection for civil liberties
- Provides an overview of common themes in development and interpretation of constitutionally protected civil liberties in multiple areas, including abortion
Featuring examples of how key civil liberties have been shaped by historical, legal, and philosophical forces, this Advanced Introduction will be essential reading for students and scholars in American studies, history, human rights, law and politics, and political science.
Trade Review‘Professor Susan Herman has written a brilliant description of civil liberties in the United States. With remarkable clarity, she explains complicated legal concepts, tracing the history of civil rights in the United States and discussing important current issues. This book will be an invaluable resource for experts and non-experts alike, and will be enormously helpful to students, as well as lawyers, judges, and everyone interested in learning more about civil liberties.’ -- Erwin Chemerinsky, University of California, Berkeley, US
‘This authoritative text is essential reading for students and practitioners of constitutional law. The author's direct experience, as President of the ACLU, adds invaluable depth and insight in confronting continuing and new constitutional challenges.’ -- Professor Emerita Geraldine Van Bueren KC, British Institute of International and Comparative Law, UK
‘At a moment when rights are under threat, Herman sets out to clearly define the evolution and parameters of civil rights, civil liberties and human rights in the United States. In doing so, she does not shirk from the dark moments of US constitutional history, or from addressing how the peculiarly American approach to freedom of speech continues to present controversies around extremist speech, campus protests and campaign finance.’ -- Liam Herrick, Irish Council for Civil Liberties, Ireland
‘With her extensive experience teaching Constitutional Law and as President of the ACLU, Susan Herman is the ideal person to introduce readers to U.S. civil liberties. This book provides a variety of fascinating perspectives on civil liberties generally – history, law, current conditions – and on sizzling issues ranging from abortion to voting rights.’ -- Nadine Strossen, FIRE (Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression), US
