Seminar in Con Law: 2nd Amendment

The Second Amendment, together with gun rights and gun control arguments, are in the news more than ever of late. This course will cover a) the Second Amendment s history and original meaning, as well as subsequent judicial interpretation, and b) Second Amendment policy, including academic studies of firearms regulations and other materials, and c) how different understandings of the Second Amendment have radically different implications for a variety of social groups. Understanding the origins of American firearm policies and explicating how various institutions have elaborated and restricted firearms rights is an important step towards critically engaging with and evaluating the multiple perspectives on this controversial issue. No prerequisites are necessary.