Table of Contents

PrefaceIntroduction31American Constitutionalism92The Constitution and Political Institutions593Judicial Review and American Democracy884Problems of Constitutional Adjudication1255Theories of Constitutional Interpretation1406Constitutional Crisis and Reform192Index213

Promotional Information

Written with an almost astonishing mixture of concision and accessibility, Griffin's book should be of interest to the informed general reader as well as to mature scholars. -- Sanford Levinson, University of Texas, Austin

About the Author

Stephen M. Griffin is Professor of Law at Tulane University.

Reviews

One of Choice's Outstanding Academic Titles for 1997 "Steven M. Griffin...has written an excellent introduction to American constitutional theory that not only provides an overview of the legal academy's major contributions to constitutional theory, but also incorporates significant findings of political science and historical research on both American political development and judicial behavior...American Constitutionalism is a compelling work, one that admirably integrates disparate fields of inquiry and produces an energetic view of constitutional theory. It makes a significant contribution to constitutional theory and could set the agenda for a wide array of explorations into the normative and empirical dimensions of constitutional politics."--Douglas S. Reed, The Law and Politics Book Review "[As] Stephen Griffin lucidly argues, the court has never managed to follow a consistent interpretative approach for long... What cleverly emerges from Mr. Griffin's account is a view of the court not as the final arbiter on constitutional questions, but as only one element in a tripartite system of government designed to divide power and create friction between the three branches."--The Economist