Description

Book Synopsis

Since its Broadway debut, Hamilton: An American Musical has infused itself into the American experience: who shapes it, who owns it, who can rap it best. Lawyers and legal scholars, recognizing the way the musical speaks to some of our most complicated constitutional issues, have embraced Alexander Hamilton as the trendiest historical face in American civics. Hamilton and the Law offers a revealing look into the legal community''s response to the musical, which continues to resonate in a country still deeply divided about the reach of the law.

A star-powered cast of legal mindsfrom two former U.S. solicitors general to leading commentators on culture and societycontribute brief and engaging magazine-style articles to this lively book. Intellectual property scholars share their thoughts on Hamilton''s inventive use of other sources, while family law scholars explore domestic violence. Critical race experts consider how Hamilton furthers our understa

Trade Review

Whether or not readers have a strong grounding in the law, they'll be stirred by the connections the book draws among Hamilton, current events, and history.

* Library Journal *

Hamilton and the Law shows us a look in the mirror and asks – can we abandon the founder myths so that we can realize our present-day reality and strive towards substantive equity for all? Hamilton, adored by millions, may be the pop culture medium that helps us heal our inconsistent conceptualizations of America's past, present, and future. Applause to you, Professor Tucker.

* Hedgehogs and Foxes Blog *

The collection has the seemingly incongruous effect of simultaneously drawing you into our formative history and the making of "Hamilton: An American Musical," while also contemplating the intractable issues facing us today. In this way, it invites readers to think not only about the relationships between art, law and society, but also the possible narratives one can tell about the America of days gone by and the ways in which those narratives can shape our future.

* Law360 *

Lisa A. Tucker has succeeded in using the innovation and exuberance of Lin-Manuel Miranda's ground-breaking musical to explore a wide range of legal, social, and historical issues. A smart and original book.

* Los Angeles Review of Books *

The book would be good for collections on law and current affairs.

* Choice *

Although the musical is not without its historical inaccuracies and criticisms, it is an undeniable reminder of the powers of storytelling, representation, and the arts. Books such as Hamilton and the Law amplify said powers by bringing the material to new audiences and providing scholarly commentaries on a mix of legal, social, political, and cultural topics.

* Criminal Law & Criminal Justice Books Review *

Table of Contents

Part 1: "And so the American Experiment Begins": The Constitution and the Three Branches of Government
1. Lin-Manuel Miranda and the Future of Originalism, Richard Primus
2. Some Alexander Hamilton, but Not So Much Hamilton, in the New Supreme Court, John Q. Barrett
3. Tragedy in the Supreme Court: "I'd Rather Be Divisive Than Indecisive", Lisa A. Tucker
4. Alexander Hamilton's "One Shot" before the U.S. Supreme Court, Gregory G. Garre
5. "Never Gon' Be President Now", Michael Gerhardt
6. Hamilton: Child Laborer and Truant, Paul M. Secunda
Part 2: "America, You Great Unfinished Symphony"
7. Hamilton's America—and Ours, Kermit Roosevelt III
8. Hamilton and Washington at War and a Vision for Federal Power, Elizabeth B. Wydra
9. Two Oaths: Supporting and Defending the Constitution with Hamilton, Jill I. Goldenziel
Part 3: "We'll Never Be Truly Free": Hamilton and Race
10. Finding Constitutional Redemption through Hamilton, Christina Mulligan
11. Race, Nation, and Patrimony, or, the Stakes of Diversity in Hamilton, Anthony Paul Farley
12. "The World Turned Upside Down": Employment Discrimination, Race, and Authenticity in Hamilton, Marcia L. McCormick
13. Hamilton and the Power of Racial Fables in Examining the U.S. Constitution, Danielle Holley-Walker
Part 4: "I'm 'a Compel Him to Include Women in the Sequel"
14. On Women's Rights, Legal Change, and Incomplete Sequels, Eloise Pasachoff
15. When Your Job Is to Marry Rich: Marriage as a Market in Hamilton, Kimberly Mutcherson
16. "Love" Triangles: Romance or Domestic Violence?, Rosa Frazier
Part 5: "Immigrants, We Get the Job Done"
17. Hamilton's Dissent to the Travel Ban, Neal Katyal
18. Hamilton and the Limits of Contemporary Immigration Narratives, Anil Kalhan
19. Hamilton's Immigrant Story Today, Elizabeth Keyes
Part 6: "The Ten Duel Commandments"
20. Hamilton, Hip-Hop, and the Culture of Dueling in America, Glenn Harlan Reynolds
21. Alexander Hamilton, Citizen-Protector?, Jody Madeira
22. We Will Never Be Satisfied: Hamilton and Jefferson's Duel Over Constitutional Meaning, Ian Millhiser
23. Hamilton, Burr, and Defamation: Physical versus Verbal Duels, Benjamin Barton
24. Elections as Duels: "You Know What? We Can Change That. You Know Why?" 'Cuz We Have the Support of Two-Thirds of Each House of Congress and Three-Quarters of the States!, Joshua A. Douglas
25. Modern-Day Protests: As American as Apple Pie, Kimberly Jade Norwood
Part 7: "Who Tells Your Story?"
26. Every Action's an Act of Creation: Hamilton and Copyright Law, Rebecca Tushnet
27. Hollering to Be Heard: Copyright and the Aesthetics of Voice, Zahr K. Said
28. Taking Law School Musicals Seriously: A Little Love Letter to Legal Musicals and the Lawyers Who Love Them, Robin J. Effron
29. "The World Turned Upside Down": Hamilton and Deconstruction, Bret D. Asbury
Part 8: "What Is a Legacy?": Lessons from Hamilton beyond the Libretto
30. "Cabinet Battle #1": The Structure of Federalism, Erwin Chemerinsky
31. Hamilton's Bank and Jefferson's Nightmare, Mehrsa Baradaran
32. Alexander Hamilton's Legacy: The American Board of Directors, M. Todd Henderson
33. I Never Thought I'd Live Past Twenty": Hamilton through the Lens of Anticipated Early Death, Sarah Fishel

Hamilton and the Law

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    Order before 4pm today for delivery by Mon 20 Jul 2026.

    A Hardback by Lisa A. Tucker

    15 in stock

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      View other formats and editions of Hamilton and the Law by Lisa A. Tucker

      Publisher: Cornell University Press
      Publication Date: Publication Date: 15/10/2020
      ISBN13: 9781501752216, 978-1501752216
      ISBN10: 1501752219
      Also in:
      Theatre studies

      Description

      Book Synopsis

      Since its Broadway debut, Hamilton: An American Musical has infused itself into the American experience: who shapes it, who owns it, who can rap it best. Lawyers and legal scholars, recognizing the way the musical speaks to some of our most complicated constitutional issues, have embraced Alexander Hamilton as the trendiest historical face in American civics. Hamilton and the Law offers a revealing look into the legal community''s response to the musical, which continues to resonate in a country still deeply divided about the reach of the law.

      A star-powered cast of legal mindsfrom two former U.S. solicitors general to leading commentators on culture and societycontribute brief and engaging magazine-style articles to this lively book. Intellectual property scholars share their thoughts on Hamilton''s inventive use of other sources, while family law scholars explore domestic violence. Critical race experts consider how Hamilton furthers our understa

      Trade Review

      Whether or not readers have a strong grounding in the law, they'll be stirred by the connections the book draws among Hamilton, current events, and history.

      * Library Journal *

      Hamilton and the Law shows us a look in the mirror and asks – can we abandon the founder myths so that we can realize our present-day reality and strive towards substantive equity for all? Hamilton, adored by millions, may be the pop culture medium that helps us heal our inconsistent conceptualizations of America's past, present, and future. Applause to you, Professor Tucker.

      * Hedgehogs and Foxes Blog *

      The collection has the seemingly incongruous effect of simultaneously drawing you into our formative history and the making of "Hamilton: An American Musical," while also contemplating the intractable issues facing us today. In this way, it invites readers to think not only about the relationships between art, law and society, but also the possible narratives one can tell about the America of days gone by and the ways in which those narratives can shape our future.

      * Law360 *

      Lisa A. Tucker has succeeded in using the innovation and exuberance of Lin-Manuel Miranda's ground-breaking musical to explore a wide range of legal, social, and historical issues. A smart and original book.

      * Los Angeles Review of Books *

      The book would be good for collections on law and current affairs.

      * Choice *

      Although the musical is not without its historical inaccuracies and criticisms, it is an undeniable reminder of the powers of storytelling, representation, and the arts. Books such as Hamilton and the Law amplify said powers by bringing the material to new audiences and providing scholarly commentaries on a mix of legal, social, political, and cultural topics.

      * Criminal Law & Criminal Justice Books Review *

      Table of Contents

      Part 1: "And so the American Experiment Begins": The Constitution and the Three Branches of Government
      1. Lin-Manuel Miranda and the Future of Originalism, Richard Primus
      2. Some Alexander Hamilton, but Not So Much Hamilton, in the New Supreme Court, John Q. Barrett
      3. Tragedy in the Supreme Court: "I'd Rather Be Divisive Than Indecisive", Lisa A. Tucker
      4. Alexander Hamilton's "One Shot" before the U.S. Supreme Court, Gregory G. Garre
      5. "Never Gon' Be President Now", Michael Gerhardt
      6. Hamilton: Child Laborer and Truant, Paul M. Secunda
      Part 2: "America, You Great Unfinished Symphony"
      7. Hamilton's America—and Ours, Kermit Roosevelt III
      8. Hamilton and Washington at War and a Vision for Federal Power, Elizabeth B. Wydra
      9. Two Oaths: Supporting and Defending the Constitution with Hamilton, Jill I. Goldenziel
      Part 3: "We'll Never Be Truly Free": Hamilton and Race
      10. Finding Constitutional Redemption through Hamilton, Christina Mulligan
      11. Race, Nation, and Patrimony, or, the Stakes of Diversity in Hamilton, Anthony Paul Farley
      12. "The World Turned Upside Down": Employment Discrimination, Race, and Authenticity in Hamilton, Marcia L. McCormick
      13. Hamilton and the Power of Racial Fables in Examining the U.S. Constitution, Danielle Holley-Walker
      Part 4: "I'm 'a Compel Him to Include Women in the Sequel"
      14. On Women's Rights, Legal Change, and Incomplete Sequels, Eloise Pasachoff
      15. When Your Job Is to Marry Rich: Marriage as a Market in Hamilton, Kimberly Mutcherson
      16. "Love" Triangles: Romance or Domestic Violence?, Rosa Frazier
      Part 5: "Immigrants, We Get the Job Done"
      17. Hamilton's Dissent to the Travel Ban, Neal Katyal
      18. Hamilton and the Limits of Contemporary Immigration Narratives, Anil Kalhan
      19. Hamilton's Immigrant Story Today, Elizabeth Keyes
      Part 6: "The Ten Duel Commandments"
      20. Hamilton, Hip-Hop, and the Culture of Dueling in America, Glenn Harlan Reynolds
      21. Alexander Hamilton, Citizen-Protector?, Jody Madeira
      22. We Will Never Be Satisfied: Hamilton and Jefferson's Duel Over Constitutional Meaning, Ian Millhiser
      23. Hamilton, Burr, and Defamation: Physical versus Verbal Duels, Benjamin Barton
      24. Elections as Duels: "You Know What? We Can Change That. You Know Why?" 'Cuz We Have the Support of Two-Thirds of Each House of Congress and Three-Quarters of the States!, Joshua A. Douglas
      25. Modern-Day Protests: As American as Apple Pie, Kimberly Jade Norwood
      Part 7: "Who Tells Your Story?"
      26. Every Action's an Act of Creation: Hamilton and Copyright Law, Rebecca Tushnet
      27. Hollering to Be Heard: Copyright and the Aesthetics of Voice, Zahr K. Said
      28. Taking Law School Musicals Seriously: A Little Love Letter to Legal Musicals and the Lawyers Who Love Them, Robin J. Effron
      29. "The World Turned Upside Down": Hamilton and Deconstruction, Bret D. Asbury
      Part 8: "What Is a Legacy?": Lessons from Hamilton beyond the Libretto
      30. "Cabinet Battle #1": The Structure of Federalism, Erwin Chemerinsky
      31. Hamilton's Bank and Jefferson's Nightmare, Mehrsa Baradaran
      32. Alexander Hamilton's Legacy: The American Board of Directors, M. Todd Henderson
      33. I Never Thought I'd Live Past Twenty": Hamilton through the Lens of Anticipated Early Death, Sarah Fishel

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