LAW-2193 First Amendment in the 21st Century
This course will explore how the five freedoms guaranteed by the First Amendment - religion, speech, press, assembly, and petition – have been restricted and expanded, from the call for the post-Constitution Bill of Rights to present-day tensions and conflicts. The continuous clash between the five freedoms and other societal and governmental interests - national security, public safety, privacy and protection of reputation - will be examined. Focusing on the role of the Supreme Court, the course will investigate current debates on the meanings ascribed to the forty-five words of the First Amendment. Students will learn how balancing the two religion clauses of the First Amendment - prohibiting establishment and guaranteeing free exercise - for example, against competing interests, has shaped our nation from 1791 through the Court’s current docket.
Offered
Fall