American constitutionalism : from theory to politics / Stephen M. Griffin.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Griffin, Stephen M., 1957-

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Constitutional law--United States.

Constitutional law.

Constitutional law--Philosophy.

United States--Politics and government.

United States.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (229 p.)

Edition:

Course Book

Place of Publication:

Princeton, N.J. : Princeton University Press, c1996.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

Despite the outpouring of works on constitutional theory in the past several decades, no general introduction to the field has been available. Stephen Griffin provides here an original contribution to American constitutional theory in the form of a short, lucid introduction to the subject for scholars and an informed lay audience. He surveys in an unpolemical way the theoretical issues raised by judicial practice in the United States over the past three centuries, particularly since the Warren Court, and locates both theory and practices that have inspired dispute among jurists and scholars in historical context. At the same time he advances an argument about the distinctive nature of our American constitutionalism, regarding it as an instance of the interpenetration of law and politics. American Constitutionalism is unique in considering the perspectives of both law and political science in relation to constitutional theory. Constitutional theories produced by legal scholars do not usually discuss state-centered theories of American politics, the importance of institutions, behaviorist research on judicial decision making, or questions of constitutional reform, but this book takes into account the political science literature on these and other topics. The work also devotes substantial attention to judicial review and its relationship to American democracy and theories of constitutional interpretation.

Contents:

Front matter

Contents

Preface

Introduction

One. American Constitutionalism

Two. The Constitution and Political Institutions

Three. Judicial Review and American Democracy

Four. Problems of Constitutional Adjudication

Five. Theories of Constitutional Interpretation

Six. Constitutional Crisis and Reform

Index

Notes:

Description based upon print version of record.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9786612730511

9781400803118

140080311X

9781400822126

1400822122

9781282730519

1282730517

9781400811878

1400811872

OCLC:

700687905