Looking for Rights in All the Wrong Places: Why State Constitutions Contain America's Positive Rights

(Paperback)

Publishing Details

Classifications

Physical Properties

Description

Unlike many national constitutions, which contain explicit positive rights to such things as education, a living wage, and a healthful environment, the U.S. Bill of Rights appears to contain only a long list of prohibitions on government. American constitutional rights, we are often told, protect people only from an overbearing government, but give

Reviews

One of Choice's Outstanding Academic Titles for 2014 "This is an excellent contribution to the literature and yet another compelling reason that scholars should not limit themselves to only the federal Constitution and courts."--Choice "I am hopeful that Zackin's thoughtful and timely book will invigorate the debate, reminding readers along the way of the vibrant role states have played, and should continue to play, in defining new statutory and constitutional rights. Whether 'we want more' rights or not, we would be lucky to have more scholarship from Zackin about the states' essential role in the American constitutional law tradition."--Jeffrey S. Sutton, Harvard Law Review

Author Bio

Emily Zackin is assistant professor of political science at Hunter College, City University of New York.