Encyclopedia of American Civil Rights and Liberties - Hardcover

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0313327580 ISBN 13: 9780313327582

Publisher: Greenwood Pub Group, 2006

Synopsis

Spanning three volumes, this comprehensive encyclopedia of over six hundred entries covers the full range of civil rights and liberties in America from the antecedents of the Bill of Rights through the most recent controversies over political and social issues, including abortion, free speech, religious liberty, voting rights, and the guarantees of equality. It also addresses the civil rights and liberties issues stemming from America's ongoing war on terrorism. Detailed entries include key concepts, historical events and developments, major trials and appellate court decisions, landmark legislation, legal doctrines, important personalities, and key organizations and agencies. Entries have an objective tone, allowing readers to draw their own conclusions.

Designed as an up-to-date reference source for students, scholars, and citizens, the encyclopedia will help broaden and heighten understanding and appreciation for the wide range of issues associated with civil rights and liberties in the United States, and is the most sophisticated treatment available. The volumes of the encyclopedia consist of original entries, arranged alphabetically, on many current hot-button issues as well as in-depth coverage of the rights Americans hold sacred. Written by experts in the field, including attorneys, judges, and legal scholars, the encyclopedia takes a historical-legal approach, providing important information on the background and development of an issue or event.

The third volume concludes with over three dozen essential primary documents, including landmark statutes, key court decisions, and influential essays.

About this title

About the Author

OTIS H. STEPHENS is Alumni Distinguished Service Professor of Political Science and Resident Scholar of Constitutional Law at the University of Tennessee College of Law. He has authored or co-authored five books in constitutional law, including American Constitutional Law, Third Edition (2003) and The Supreme Court and Confessions of Guilt (1973). He has also published numerous articles and book chapters in law and political science. JOHN M. SCHEB II is Professor of Political Science and Chair of the Legal Studies Program at the University of Tennessee, where he teaches courses in criminal law, constitutional law, administrative law, judicial process, and law in society. He has authored numerous articles in professional journals and is co-author of several textbooks in political science. KARA E. STOOKSBURY is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at Carson-Newman College. Her research areas include federalism, state constitutional law, and the first ladyship.

Reviews

Grade 8 Up—Key issues relevant to civil rights and liberties in the United States are presented in approximately 600 signed, alphabetically arranged essays of varying length. They include both historical background and current concerns—political and social—presented by experts whose credentials are listed. Topics include controversial issues such as doctor-assisted suicide, abortion rights, antismoking legislation, and the USA Patriot Act, and are covered in a clearly written, easily understood, and unbiased manner. Historical entries address such subjects as the development of the Bill of Rights, the Alien and Sedition Acts, and the poll tax. Also considered are significant people such as Supreme Court justices, political activists, and advocates for civil rights, and key concepts, organizations, and legislation. Cross-references and a bibliography follow each essay. Each volume opens with a list of the set's entries and primary documents, followed by an alphabetical "Guide to Related Topics" that groups articles under key themes. The full texts of speeches and significant laws from the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries are appended. There is also a lengthy table of relevant cases, although many of them are not referred to in the text or the index. This up-to-date and comprehensive, yet compact resource will be a useful addition.—Linda Greengrass, Bank Street College Library, New York City
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

American civil rights and liberties have a historical past and active presence in our society. This encyclopedia provides an overview of more than 600 topics in both the civil rights and liberties arenas. Laws, Supreme Court decisions, major historical developments and social movements, prominent individuals, groups and organizations, government departments and agencies, and issues and hot topics are discussed at length. Entries cover Civil Rights Acts from 1866 to 1988, equal employment, due process, religious freedom, animal rights, and reproductive rights. Additionally, they cover less-familiar topics like Bad tendency test, Bifurcated trail, and Inchoate offenses. Current topics like the USA PATRIOT ACT and Children's Internet Protection Act are also included.

The 627 entries are arranged alphabetically, and most include a byline, see also references, and a bibliography. Back matter consists of an index, a bibliography, a list of contributors (teachers, scholars, judges, and law practitioners), and the text of 38 primary documents. These include the Magna Carta, the Gettysburg Address, the Seneca Falls Declaration, and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Front matter includes an A-Z list of entries and a guide to related topics that categorizes all 627 entries into 20 broader topics like "Court Decisions," "Organizations" and "Search and Seizure." This is a perfect starting place for college term papers and for those wanting a big-picture look at topics like abortion, the gay rights movement, segregation, and more.

Titles of this nature have been frequent in the last five years, and libraries may already own several. The Encyclopedia of American Civil Liberties (Routledge, 2006) contains similar information, with twice as many entries. Its coverage of case law is extensive; however, it does not include primary documents. Sharpe's companion Encyclopedia of Civil Rights in America (1997) and Encyclopedia of Civil Liberties in America (2004) between them have more entries, but the civil rights set is not as current. Finally, Minority Rights in America (CQ, 2002) is a smaller, single-volume work but with a larger collection of primary documents. The Greenwood set's advantage is that it provides current coverage of both civil rights and liberties. Its price is midrange among similar titles, and it should be considered for academic and public libraries. Sue Polanka
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Edition details

• Publisher: Greenwood Pub Group
• Publication date: 2006
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0313327580
• ISBN 13: 9780313327582
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 459
• Editor: Stephens Otis H., Scheb John M., Stooksbury Kara Elizabeth