Liberal Constitutionalism and its Contemporary Challenges

Prof. Gordon A. Babst teaches political philosophy and theory, and has published on the threats religion has posed to liberal-democratic norms in pluralist societies.
Prof. Renée Nicole Souris is assistant professor at Florida Institute of Technology where she teaches legal and political theory. Her research applies ideas of virtue ethics to various topics including child soldiers, international law, and immigration.
Prof. Joan McGregor is a professor of philosophy and faculty head in the School of Historical, Philosophical, and Religious Studies. She teaches and does research on legal and political philosophy.

Introduction.- Part I.- Is the American Form of Government a Democracy? Signs of Systemic Oligarchy in Direct and Representative Democracy.- Truth Matters: Factual Accuracy, Theoretic Rationality, and the Legitimacy of Political Decision-Making.- Learning How to Read: Legal Hermeneutics.- Deference without Virtue: A Concern for Common Good Constitutionalism.- Dworkinian Protestantism, Civil Disobedience, and Democratic Citizenship.- Constructive Interpretation, Democracy, and the Protestant Attitude.- Part II.- Structural Injustices in the Educational System, Inequality, and its Effects on Democracy.- The Black Scare.- Representative Democracy, the Right to Vote and the Weighting of Votes.- The Importance of Condorcet Consistency in Preserving Democracy.- Comprehensive Pluralism, Liberalism, and Religious Liberty.