Inside Constitutional Law: What Matters and Why, Second Edition

Concise, engaging, and pedagogically rich, Inside Constitutional Law solidifies students’ understanding of the essentials. Rather than presenting exhaustive citations and excessive doctrinal detail, Inside Constitutional Law: What Matters and Why focuses on helping students to clearly understand key topics in-depth. Students become more engaged in the course by thorough explanations that demystify the material without oversimplifying it. They come to understand not only the rules, but also what makes them interesting and important. Features to enhance learning are prominent throughout. Overviews position chapter topics within the course and show why each matters. FAQs are carefully spelled out and given straightforward answers to clear up the most common mistakes and misconceptions. Sidebars offer study tips, practice pointers, and additional insights. Replicating the classroom use of whiteboards, PowerPoint and other visual aids, graphics, charts, photos, and cartoons help illustrate key concepts. Chapter summaries and bolded key terms facilitate studying and review, and “Connections” at the end of each chapter tie the material to other chapters, encouraging students to consider “Where have I been?” and “Where am I going?”

The Second Edition introduces new material on important new cases: Arar v. Ashcroft on the president's power to fight terrorism, Pleasant Grove City, Utah v. Summum on First Amendment and the right to erect permanent monuments on public property, Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission on corporations and campaign finance, Snyder v. Phelps on the conflict between freedom of expression and intentional infliction of mental and emotional distress, and other cases from the Supreme Court’s 2010-2011 term such as Schwarzenegger. Updated coverage of the various issues related to gay and lesbian equal protection issues includes discussion of “don't ask, don't tell” and gay marriage, among others.

Features:

• Solidifies students’ understanding of the essentials of the course
  • avoids exhaustive citations and excessive doctrinal detail
  • focuses on clear, in-depth examination of civil procedure
• Engaging explanations that demystify without oversimplifying
• Tackles common misconceptions, enabling deeper understanding
• Explains the rules - what makes them interesting and important
• Enhanced learning features
  • Overviews
    • position the topic within the course
    • students understand the topic and why it matters
  • FAQs
    • straightforward answers
    • clear up the most common mistakes and misconceptions
  • Key Terms
    • essential terminology highlighted and defined when first introduced
  • Sidebars
    • study tips
    • practice pointers
    • further insights and information
  • Graphics replicate whiteboards, PowerPoint and other visual aids
    • charts
    • photos
    • cartoons
  • Chapter summaries
  • Bolded key terms for review
  • “Connections” at the end of each chapter
    • connect the material to other chapters
    • ask students to consider “Where have I been?” and “Where am I going?

Thoroughly updated, the revised Second Edition presents:

• Coverage of key, important new cases
  • Arar v. Ashcroft on the President's power to fight terrorism
  • Pleasant Grove City, Utah v. Summum on First Amendment and the right to erect permanent monuments on public property
  • Citizens United v. Feder