Civil Liberties and the State: A Documentary and Reference Guide

(Hardback)

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Description

This book covers documents and related information pertaining to civil liberties in America, including the debates over arbitrary state action, due process, equal protection, freedom of speech, and privacy issues. The USA PATRIOT Act, the actions and free speech of the Ku Klux Klan, and the use of privately owned devices with GPS by law enforcement are all highly controversial topics that fall under the blanket of civil liberties and federal or state authoritysubjects that are important to most Americans. This book provides a comprehensive examination of arbitrary state action post-September 11, 2001, combining detailed examinations of specific legislation with watershed coverage of issues such as freedom of speech, press, and religion as well as various aspects of criminal law and procedure. This text presents documents from Britain, the American colonial period, the Founding period, and the modern era, including recent Supreme Court cases. The author provides an accompanying analysis of each document, providing insightful historical context and ramifications of the decisions and the laws passed.

Reviews

Useful for researchers looking for pertinent excerpts. * Library Journal *
This work should facilitate understanding of the concept of civil liberties and encourage new scholarship. Included are a chronology and annotated list of Web sites. Summing Up: Highly recommended. * Choice *
Although the primary sources and accompanying analysis are the most valuable part of the content, 20 sidebars also contribute to readers' understanding of the documents, their creators, or the circumstances under which they were written. Especially useful to students in Advanced Placement government courses. * School Library Journal *

Author Bio

Christopher Peter Latimer, PhD, is assistant professor of political science at the State University of New York at Cortland, Cortland, NY.