In The Arizona State Constitution, John D. Leshy provides a comprehensive history of Arizona's constitutional development. Adopted at the height of the progressive movement, the Constitution contains many progressive innovations. Leshy describes these along with the dramatic changes the state has undergone in subsequent decades. He also includes a section-by-section commentary which crisply discusses the evolution and interpretation of each section, including significant court decisions. Thoroughly updated to reflect amendments and court cases through the fall of 2012, the second edition of The Arizona State Constitution is an essential reference guide for readers who seek a rich account of Arizona's constitutional evolution.
The Oxford Commentaries on the State Constitutions of the United States is an important series that reflects a renewed international interest in constitutional history and provides expert insight into each of the 50 state constitutions. Each volume in this innovative series contains a historical overview of the state's constitutional development, a section-by-section analysis of its current constitution, and a comprehensive guide to further research.
Under the expert editorship of Professor G. Alan Tarr, Director of the Center on State Constitutional Studies at Rutgers University, this series provides essential reference tools for understanding state constitutional law. Books in the series can be purchased individually or as part of a complete set, giving readers unmatched access to these important political documents.

The little-known story of how the U.S. government came to hold nearly one-third of the nation's land and manage it primarily for recreation, education and conservation. "A much-needed chronicle of how the American people decided--wisely and democratically--that nearly a third of the nation's land surface should remain in our collective ownership and be managed for our common good."-Dayton Duncan, author of The National Parks: America's Best Idea America's public lands include more than 600 million acres of forests, plains, mountains, wetlands, deserts, and shorelines. In this book, John Leshy, a leading expert in public lands policy, discusses the key political decisions that led to this, beginning at the very founding of the nation. He traces the emergence of a bipartisan political consensus in favor of the national government holding these vast land areas primarily for recreation, education, and conservation of biodiversity and cultural resources. That consensus remains strong and continues to shape American identity. Such a success story of the political system is a bright spot in an era of cynicism about government. This book is essential reading for anyone who cares about public lands, and it is particularly timely as the world grapples with the challenges of climate change and biodiversity loss.

Originally published in 1987, John D. Leshy presents this scholarly study of the 1872 Mining Law as a legal treatise and history of mining in the West from the point of view of mineral exploration and production. This mining law governed the United States mining practice yet had never been changed. The Mining Law attempts to highlight the role of policy and government as well as the more obscure elements of the law which complicated mining practice in the eighties. This title will be of interest to students of Environmental Studies and policy makers.

Originally published in 1987, John D. Leshy presents this scholarly study of the 1872 Mining Law as a legal treatise and history of mining in the West from the point of view of mineral exploration and production. This mining law governed the United States mining practice yet had never been changed. The Mining Law attempts to highlight the role of policy and government as well as the more obscure elements of the law which complicated mining practice in the eighties. This title will be of interest to students of Environmental Studies and policy makers.