Law
American Democracy Is in the Mail
Attacks on the U.S. postal service are attacks on building a more equitable and inclusive society.
Neoliberal Hong Kong Is Our Future, Too
Economists lionize the city as the ideal free market, but the social consequences have been disastrous.
What’s Next for Abortion Law?
The Supreme Court’s recent ruling is only the latest twist in the convoluted legal history of women’s reproductive rights. The future looks no less partisan.
The Conceit of American Indispensability
As scholars mine the 1940s for alternative visions of international order, we must guard against the presumption that the United States remains the benevolent center of global politics.
Our Broken Constitution
Constitutional crisis won’t be fixed by a few isolated reforms. We need to rethink the Constitution from the ground up.
The Death and Rebirth of American Internationalism
Internationalists are plotting their return, but they still haven’t learned from the failure of liberal universalism.
What We Can Learn From India’s Improbable Democracy
Though Modi’s government draws concern today, the country’s constitutional history suggests a framework for creating democracy in unlikely settings.
The Racist Foundation of Nuclear Architecture
On the 75th anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima, it is clear that white supremacy sustains the U.S. nuclear arsenal.
Police Sexual Violence Is Hidden in Plain Sight
Forms of gender-specific violence are baked into the structure of law enforcement. Reform efforts will fail until we eliminate police discretion over women’s bodies.
India’s Response to COVID-19 Is a Humanitarian Disaster
The government enforced a strict lockdown for weeks, giving the illusion of responsible policy. Poor people are now paying the price.
Bostock v. BLM
Two conflicting visions of equality have recently emerged on the American political left. Only one aims at institutional change.
Burdens and Benefits
A recent abortion ruling asks whether abortion access laws may one day be judged on how they serve women's health.
No Democracy Without Archives
The dramatic history of Guatemala’s National Police archive illustrates the crucial role of state archives in protecting democracy.
How the Law Killed Ahmaud Arbery
In many states, legal regimes sanction the predictable murder of innocent black men. Justice will not be served until the law changes.
The Problem Isn’t Just Police—It’s Politics
Sociologist Alex Vitale explains how the U.S. policing crisis begins with politics—the decision to embrace neoliberal austerity and to turn the social problems it creates over to police.
Getting Judges on the Side of Abolition
Success in transforming the criminal justice system will depend on convincing judges to shift how they relate to—and rely upon—police in their criminal courtrooms.
How Police Abuse the Charge of Resisting Arrest
The moment Floyd’s resistance would become lawful is precisely the moment it is too late.
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