Updated syllabus can always be found here: https://github.com/jcervas/teaching/blob/main/2025-2026/class-cmu-2026-84-120/readme.md

UNIT I — History

Central Questions

• How is the federal judiciary organized, and what kinds of power does it exercise?
• What political, legal, and philosophical ideas shaped the U.S. Constitution?
• What purposes do constitutions serve, and how do they structure and constrain political power?
• How did colonial experience and revolutionary politics influence constitutional design?
• How has constitutional meaning evolved across major historical periods?
• What role has the Supreme Court played in shaping constitutional development?
• To what extent is constitutional law shaped by politics, history, and institutional context?

1. Introduction
   • Tushnet, Mark, Mark A. Graber, and Sanford Levinson, “Introduction: The Handbook of the United States Constitution.”
     In The Oxford Handbook of the U.S. Constitution. Oxford University Press, 2015.
     https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190245757.013.1
2. Jurisdiction and Organization of the Federal Courts
   • Understanding the Federal Courts. Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts.
     https://www.uscourts.gov/file/understanding-federal-courtspdf
3. Pre-Colonial Foundations
   • Magna Carta, English Bill of Rights, and the Political Philosophers
4. Colonial America
   • Robertson, David Brian. “The Constitution from 1620 to the Early Republic.”
     In The Oxford Handbook of the U.S. Constitution. Oxford University Press, 2015.
     https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190245757.013.2
5. The Early Republic and the Nineteenth Century
   • Benedict, Michael Les. “Constitutional Developments from Jackson through Reconstruction.”
     In The Oxford Handbook of the U.S. Constitution. Oxford University Press, 2015.
     https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190245757.013.3
6. The Gilded Age and Progressive Era
   • Kersch, Ken I. “The Gilded Age through the Progressive Era.”
     In The Oxford Handbook of the U.S. Constitution. Oxford University Press, 2015.
     https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190245757.013.4
7. The New Deal Constitutional Settlement
   • Powe, L. A. “From the New Deal through the Reagan Revolution.”
     In The Oxford Handbook of the U.S. Constitution. Oxford University Press, 2015.
     https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190245757.013.5
8. Modern Constitutional Law
   • Keck, Thomas M. “The Reagan Revolution to the Present.”
     In The Oxford Handbook of the U.S. Constitution. Oxford University Press, 2015.
     https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190245757.013.6
9. The Text, Historical Background, and Functions of the U.S. Constitution
   • Fallon → Introduction
10. A Political Supreme Court
    • The Framers’ Coup: The Making of the United States Constitution
      [Video, 55 min] https://youtu.be/X3jz15a5XRw?si=2JKO7QNPa5R1kcdw&t=356
    • Finkelman, Paul. 2017. “The Nefarious Intentions of the Framers?”
      University of Chicago Law Review 84(4): 2139.
    • Strauss, David A. “Is Constitutional Law Really Law?”
      In The Oxford Handbook of the U.S. Constitution. Oxford University Press, 2015.
      https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190245757.013.39
11. What Are Constitutions?
    • Komesar, Neil. “Constitutions as Basic Structure.”
      In The Oxford Handbook of the U.S. Constitution. Oxford University Press, 2015.
      https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190245757.013.7
12. Constitutionalism
    • Brandon, Mark E. “Constitutionalism.”
      In The Oxford Handbook of the U.S. Constitution. Oxford University Press, 2015.
      https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190245757.013.36
13. Interpretation
    • Greene, Jamal. “Interpretation.”
      In The Oxford Handbook of the U.S. Constitution. Oxford University Press, 2015.
      https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190245757.013.42
14. The Written Constitution and Judicial Supremacy
    • Fallon → Chapter 1: The Written Constitution and the Emergence of Judicial Supremacy
    • Fallon → Chapter 2: Historical Overview of Constitutional Adjudication by the Supreme Court
15. The Supreme Court Today
    • Fallon → Chapter 3: The Supreme Court Today

UNIT II — Political Science

Central Questions

• How is constitutional power allocated among Congress, the presidency, the judiciary, and the states?
• What are the constitutional limits on national authority in domestic and foreign affairs?
• How do political institutions shape constitutional meaning and enforcement?
• How does the Constitution regulate democracy, elections, parties, and political competition?
• What tensions arise between constitutional design and modern governance?
• How has constitutional interpretation interacted with political development over time?

1. The Constitutional Politics of Congress
   • Devins, Neal. “The Constitutional Politics of Congress.”
     In The Oxford Handbook of the U.S. Constitution. Oxford University Press, 2015.
     https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190245757.013.8
2. The Constitutional Politics of the Executive Branch
   • Ziegler, Mariah. “The Constitutional Politics of the Executive Branch.”
     In The Oxford Handbook of the U.S. Constitution. Oxford University Press, 2015.
     https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190245757.013.9
3. The Constitutional Politics of the Judiciary
   • Crowe, Justin. “The Constitutional Politics of the Judiciary.”
     In The Oxford Handbook of the U.S. Constitution. Oxford University Press, 2015.
     https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190245757.013.10
4. The Resilience of the American Federal System
   • Bednar, Jenna. “The Resilience of the American Federal System.”
     In The Oxford Handbook of the U.S. Constitution. Oxford University Press, 2015.
     https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190245757.013.14
5. Empire and the Constitution
   • Sparrow, Bartholomew H. “Empire.”
     In The Oxford Handbook of the U.S. Constitution. Oxford University Press, 2015.
     https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190245757.013.15
6. Campaign Finance and Constitutional Democracy
   • Campaign Finance and the Supreme Court. National Conference of State Legislatures.
     February 7, 2023.
     https://www.ncsl.org/elections-and-campaigns/campaign-finance-and-the-supreme-court
   • Dawood, Yasmin. “The Theoretical Foundations of Campaign Finance Regulation.”
     In The Oxford Handbook of American Election Law. Oxford University Press, 2024.
     https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780197547922.013.27
7. The Uneasy Place of Political Parties
   • Muirhead, Russell, and Nancy L. Rosenblum.
     “The Uneasy Place of Parties in the Constitutional Order.”
     In The Oxford Handbook of the U.S. Constitution. Oxford University Press, 2015.
     https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190245757.013.11
8. The Administrative State
   • Vermeule, Adrian. “The Administrative State: Law, Democracy, and Knowledge.”
     In The Oxford Handbook of the U.S. Constitution. Oxford University Press, 2015.
     https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190245757.013.13
9. The Evolution of America’s Fiscal Constitution
   • White, Bill. “The Evolution of America’s Fiscal Constitution.”
     In The Oxford Handbook of the U.S. Constitution. Oxford University Press, 2015.
     https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190245757.013.16

UNIT III — Law, Democracy, and Federal Power

1. Executive Power
   • Griffin, Stephen M. “The Executive Power.”
     In The Oxford Handbook of the U.S. Constitution. Oxford University Press, 2015.
     https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190245757.013.17
2. Judicial Review
   • Whittington, Keith E. “The Power of Judicial Review.”
     In The Oxford Handbook of the U.S. Constitution. Oxford University Press, 2015.
     https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190245757.013.19
3. Federalism
   • Levinson, Sanford. “Federalism.”
     In Framed: America’s 51 Constitutions and the Crisis of Governance. Oxford University Press, 2012.
   • Greve, Michael S. “Federalism.”
     In The Oxford Handbook of the U.S. Constitution. Oxford University Press, 2015.
     https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190245757.013.21
4. Voting
   • Crum, Travis. “Voting under the Federal Constitution.”
     In The Oxford Handbook of American Election Law. Oxford University Press, 2024.
     https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780197547922.013.38
   • Hasen, Richard L. “The Past, Present, and Future of Election Reform.”
     https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780197547922.013.11
     • Bush v. Gore
5. Representation
   • NCSL → Chapter 2: Equal Population
   • “One Man, One Vote: Reynolds v. Sims and the Making of a Hyper-Partisan America.”
     Regent University Law Review (2024).
     https://www.regentuniversitylawreview.com/regent-law-review-online/2025/1/7/one-man-one-vote-reynolds-v-sims-and-the-making-of-a-hyper-partisan-america
     • Reynolds v. Sims
6. Partisan Gerrymandering
   • Gerrymandering, Explained. Brennan Center for Justice (August 9, 2025).
     https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/gerrymandering-explained
   • Cervas, Jonathan, Bernard Grofman, and Scott Matsuda. 2023.
     “The Role of State Courts in Constraining Partisan Gerrymandering.”
     University of New Hampshire Law Review 21(2): 421–494.
     • Rucho v. Common Cause
7. Racial Gerrymandering
   • Ross, Bertrall L., II. “Racial Gerrymandering.”
     In The Oxford Handbook of American Election Law. Oxford University Press, 2024.
     https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780197547922.013.24
     • Shaw v. Reno
     • Alexander
     • Texas
8. Enforcing the Fifteenth Amendment
   • Katz, Ellen D. “Enforcing the Fifteenth Amendment.”
     In The Oxford Handbook of the U.S. Constitution. Oxford University Press, 2015.
     https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190245757.013.18
9. The Constitutionality of the Voting Rights Act
   • Hagen, Carrie. 2024. “Thornburg v. Gingles.” Legal Defense Fund.
   • Allen v. Milligan, 137 Harv. L. Rev. 480
   • Louisiana v. Callais (briefs and video materials)
   • State Voting Rights Acts. Campaign Legal Center.
10. State Constitutionalism
    • Dinan, John. “State Constitutionalism.”
      In The Oxford Handbook of the U.S. Constitution. Oxford University Press, 2015.
      https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190245757.013.41
11. Social Movements and the Constitution
    • Tushnet, Mark. “Social Movements and the Constitution.”
      In The Oxford Handbook of the U.S. Constitution. Oxford University Press, 2015.
      https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190245757.013.12

UNIT IV — Civil Liberties, Equality, and Constitutional Crisis

Central Questions

• How does the Constitution define and protect liberty and equality?
• Who counts as a citizen, and who decides?
• How do rights expand, contract, and change during periods of constitutional crisis?
• What roles do courts, movements, and political actors play in rights development?

1. Liberty
   • Fleming, James E., and Linda C. McClain. “Liberty.”
     In The Oxford Handbook of the U.S. Constitution. Oxford University Press, 2015.
     https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190245757.013.23
2. Citizenship
   • Neuman, Gerald L. “Citizenship.”
     In The Oxford Handbook of the U.S. Constitution. Oxford University Press, 2015.
     https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190245757.013.28
   • Barbara v. Trump
3. The Bill of Rights and the Second Amendment
   • Cornell, Saul. “The Right to Bear Arms.”
     In The Oxford Handbook of the U.S. Constitution. Oxford University Press, 2015.
     https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190245757.013.35
   • Fallon → Chapter 6
4. Equal Protection and Substantive Due Process
   • Fallon → Chapter 7
   • Fallon → Chapter 8
5. Criminal Procedure
   • Steiker, Carol. “Criminal Procedure.”
     In The Oxford Handbook of the U.S. Constitution. Oxford University Press, 2015.
     https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190245757.013.31
6. Free Speech and Free Press
   • Feldman, Stephen M. “Free Speech and Free Press.”
     In The Oxford Handbook of the U.S. Constitution. Oxford University Press, 2015.
     https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190245757.013.30
   • Fallon → Chapter 5
7. Religion
   • Sullivan, Winnifred. “Religion.”
     In The Oxford Handbook of the U.S. Constitution. Oxford University Press, 2015.
     https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190245757.013.29
   • Fallon → Chapter 4
8. Gender, Sex, and the U.S. Constitution
   • Goldstein, Leslie F. “Gender, Sex, and the U.S. Constitution.”
     In The Oxford Handbook of the U.S. Constitution. Oxford University Press, 2015.
     https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190245757.013.25
9. Autonomy (Individuals and Associations)
   • Carpenter, Dale. “Autonomy (of Individuals and Private Associations).”
     In The Oxford Handbook of the U.S. Constitution. Oxford University Press, 2015.
     https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190245757.013.27
10. Congress and Its Ability to Govern
    • Fallon → Chapter 9
11. Executive Power in Crisis
    • Fallon → Chapter 10
12. Law and Change in the Supreme Court
    • Fallon → Chapter 11