This law school casebook examines how the vast increase in international movements of people, capital, goods, ideas and information affects politics in and beyond nation-states, the rule of law and separation of powers, and fundamental rights. It contains case excerpts from at least 40 countries in all continents, examining the assumptions, choices and trade-offs, strategies and effects of decisions from constitutional courts and human rights tribunals in different legal systems and political contexts. It discusses different theories of constitutionalism and how constitutional democracies address similar issues, in different institutional settings. The fourth edition contains two new chapters addressing respectively illiberal and populist constitutionalism and developing national and transnational constitutional treatments of climate change. In addition, this edition newly covers transgender equality rights, recent constitutional treatments of secession movements, and use of emergency powers to confront the Covid-19 pandemic.

"An indispensable and provocative guide through the thicket of today's most challenging constitutional controversies by some of the most eminent judges of their time. It offers an invaluable peek behind the curtain of judicial decision making." -David Cole, Professor of Law, Georgetown University The Embattled Constitution presents the fourth collection of the James Madison lectures delivered at the NYU School of Law, offering thoughtful examinations of an array of topics on civil liberties by a distinguished group of federal judges, including Justice Stephen Breyer of the U.S. Supreme Court. The result is a fascinating look into the minds of the judges who interpret, apply, and give meaning to our "embattled Constitution." In these insightful and incisive essays, the authors bring to bear decades of experience to explore wide-ranging issues. Are today's public schools racially segregated? To what extent can the federal courts apply the Bill of Rights without legislative guidance? And what are the criteria for the highest standards of judging and constitutional interpretation? The authors also discuss how and why the Constitution came to be embattled, shining a spotlight on the current polarization in both the Supreme Court and the American body politic and offering careful and informed analysis of how to bridge these divides. Contributors include Marsha S. Berzon, Michael Boudin, Stephen Breyer, Guido Calabresi, Robert H. Henry, Robert Katzmann, Pierre N. Leval, M. Blane Michael, Davis S. Tatel, J. Harvie Wilkinson, III, and Diane P. Wood.

The Unpredictable Constitution brings together a distinguished group of U.S. Supreme Court Justices and U.S. Court of Appeals Judges, who are some of our most prominent legal scholars, to discuss an array of topics on civil liberties.

In thoughtful and incisive essays, the authors draw on decades of experience to examine such wide-ranging issues as how legal error should be handled, the death penalty, reasonable doubt, racism in American and South African courts, women and the constitution, and government benefits.

Contributors: Richard S. Arnold, Martha Craig Daughtry, Harry T. Edwards, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Betty B. Fletcher, A. Leon Higginbotham, Jr., Lord Irvine of Lairg, Jon O. Newman, Sandra Day O'Connor, Richard A. Posner, Stephen Reinhardt, and Patricia M. Wald.

Democracy and the Rule of Law is based upon a 2000 conference, jointly sponsored by the Law Library of Congress and the New York University School of Law. It features over 40 essays exploring the crucial dynamic between the concepts of democracy and the rule of law. This book is valuable to students and scholars interested in the spread of democracy in many parts of the world. It also shows how different countries with contrasting legal traditions commonly confront major problems under their constitutions.

The essays focus on significant comparative and international legal and political issues, including:
-- Transnational justice and national sovereignty
-- Natural resources and the environment
-- The role of women
-- Political status and democracy in multi-ethnic and multi-racial states
-- Law and accountability
-- Religion and culture.

Eminent U.S. and foreign scholars and dignitaries, including judges, university professors, politicians, and high-ranking government administrators, serve as contributors.