This book explores the state of rights in America, examines their roots, assesses their effectiveness, discusses their future, and considers how the experience of the U.S. in defining and securing rights can serve as an important source of ideas for other countries. Written by philosophers, legal scholars, and political scientists, the essays contained here consider how well constitutional rights have accomplished their purpose of securing basic liberties over the past 200 years and how well suited they are to protect our individual rights in the future, perhaps the next 200 years.
At Brigham Young University’s Political Science Department, Gary C. Bryner is Associate Professor and A. Don Sorensen is Professor. Bryner has co-authored Constitutionalism and Rights and co-edited The Constitution and the Regulation of Society also published by SUNY Press.
Table of Contents
Acknowledgments
Introduction
Part One: Theories of Rights
I Interpreting the Bill of Rights: Alternative Conceptions of Rights —Carl Wellman
II Civil Rights and the U.S. Constitution —Rex Martin
III Interpreting the Bill of Rights: What? Who? Why? —Christopher Wolfe
Part Two: The Current State of Rights
IV The Religion Clauses: Some Bicentennial Thoughts on an Important Corner of the Constitution —Rex E. Lee
V Abortion, Ethics, and Constitutional Interpretation —Leslie P. Francis
VI Abortion and Equality under the Law —Camille S. Williams
VII Toward a Feminist Regrounding of Constitutional Law —Gayle Binion
VIII Minority Rights under the Constitution —Gary C. Bryner Part Three: The Future of Rights
IX Rights and Human Flourishing —A. D. Sorensen
X The Future of Rights —Gary C. Bryner and A. D. Sorensen
