S. State Constitutional Law

This seminar will provide an overview of state constitutional law and allow students to engage in more depth with a particular state constitutional issue of their choice. Seminar sessions will cover: (1) the structure of state government and the separation of powers; (2) the state constitutional commitment to democracy, including the right to vote, limits on gerrymandering, and processes of direct democracy and constitutional amendment; (3) individual and collective rights, including positive rights; (4) intrastate relations, including questions of home rule and preemption; and (5) the place of state constitutions in the federal system. Students will also write a substantial research paper on a topic of their choosing.