POLS 020. Constitutional Controversies (AP)

This course begins with foundational questions. What makes the US Constitution legitimate and authoritative? Are there times when a document ratified by an earlier generation must take precedence over the current will of the people? Conversely, are there times when contemporary democratic majorities should or must override constitutional constraint? If the Constitution’s guidance is too rigid, how do we adapt our government to changing social and economic conditions? If its guidance is too flexible, what prevents us from descending into a politicized game of ‘anything goes’? Together we will lay the groundwork for a deeper understanding of constitutional controversies by engaging classics in constitutional theory, constitutional history, and Supreme Court jurisprudence alongside more recent contributions to these debates. The course is organized around several recurring controversies that connect founding-era arguments to the crises of our own moment.
Prerequisite: POLS 002, POLS 013, POLS 014, any court/constitution related seminar, or by permission of the instructor
SS.
1 credit.
Spring 2027. Berger.
Catalog chapter: Political Science
Department website: http://www.swarthmore.edu/political-science

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