The Nature and Scope of Individual Rights situates cases, articles, and a wide array of materials within their historical and theoretical contexts. It invites readers to examine how ideas of social freedom and governance have emerged and evolved through national debates over some of the most contested issues in law and social science. By comparing specific legislation with the state interests said to justify it, the book offers insight into judicial decision-making, particularly in areas where the relationship between legal objectives and outcomes is far from clear.

The text addresses a wide range of topics, including military conscription, euthanasia, capital punishment, monogamy, incest, marital and statutory rape, race, gender, sexual orientation, workplace privacy, and public responses to the Patriot Act. It also explores how expanding domestic surveillance and advances in telecommunications technology continue to reshape discussions of privacy. Throughout, Barnes challenges readers to reflect on whether these debates align with—and meaningfully advance—society’s highest commitments to liberty, personal autonomy, and governance in pursuit of the general welfare.

The Nature and Scope of Indivdual Rights: Emerging Debates in Constitutional Law Robin D. Barnes ISBN 9780890891063, 978-0890891063 & 9781531004538

Author
Robin D. Barnes