Reconstructing Rights: Courts, Parties, and Equality Rights in India, South Africa, and the United States
Judges often behave in surprising ways when they re-interpret laws and constitutions. Contrary to existing expectations, judges regularly abandon their own established interpretations in favor of new understandings. In Reconstructing Rights, Stephan Stohler offers a new theory of judicial behavior which demonstrates that judges do not act alone. Instead, Stohler shows that judges work in a deliberative fashion with aligned partisans in the elected branches to articulate evolving interpretations of major statutes and constitutions. Reconstructing Rights draws on legislative debates, legal briefs, and hundreds of judicial opinions issued from high courts in India, South Africa, and the United States in the area of discrimination and affirmative action. These materials demonstrate judges' willingness to provide interpretative leadership. But they also demonstrate how judges relinquish their leadership roles when their aligned counterparts disagree. This pattern of behavior indicates that judges do not exercise exclusive authority over constitutional interpretation. Rather, that task is subject to greater democratic influence than is often acknowledged.
1134145475
Reconstructing Rights: Courts, Parties, and Equality Rights in India, South Africa, and the United States
Judges often behave in surprising ways when they re-interpret laws and constitutions. Contrary to existing expectations, judges regularly abandon their own established interpretations in favor of new understandings. In Reconstructing Rights, Stephan Stohler offers a new theory of judicial behavior which demonstrates that judges do not act alone. Instead, Stohler shows that judges work in a deliberative fashion with aligned partisans in the elected branches to articulate evolving interpretations of major statutes and constitutions. Reconstructing Rights draws on legislative debates, legal briefs, and hundreds of judicial opinions issued from high courts in India, South Africa, and the United States in the area of discrimination and affirmative action. These materials demonstrate judges' willingness to provide interpretative leadership. But they also demonstrate how judges relinquish their leadership roles when their aligned counterparts disagree. This pattern of behavior indicates that judges do not exercise exclusive authority over constitutional interpretation. Rather, that task is subject to greater democratic influence than is often acknowledged.
26.49 In Stock
Reconstructing Rights: Courts, Parties, and Equality Rights in India, South Africa, and the United States

Reconstructing Rights: Courts, Parties, and Equality Rights in India, South Africa, and the United States

by Stephan Stohler
Reconstructing Rights: Courts, Parties, and Equality Rights in India, South Africa, and the United States

Reconstructing Rights: Courts, Parties, and Equality Rights in India, South Africa, and the United States

by Stephan Stohler

eBook

$26.49  $34.99 Save 24% Current price is $26.49, Original price is $34.99. You Save 24%.

Available on Compatible NOOK devices, the free NOOK App and in My Digital Library.
WANT A NOOK?  Explore Now

Related collections and offers

LEND ME® See Details

Overview

Judges often behave in surprising ways when they re-interpret laws and constitutions. Contrary to existing expectations, judges regularly abandon their own established interpretations in favor of new understandings. In Reconstructing Rights, Stephan Stohler offers a new theory of judicial behavior which demonstrates that judges do not act alone. Instead, Stohler shows that judges work in a deliberative fashion with aligned partisans in the elected branches to articulate evolving interpretations of major statutes and constitutions. Reconstructing Rights draws on legislative debates, legal briefs, and hundreds of judicial opinions issued from high courts in India, South Africa, and the United States in the area of discrimination and affirmative action. These materials demonstrate judges' willingness to provide interpretative leadership. But they also demonstrate how judges relinquish their leadership roles when their aligned counterparts disagree. This pattern of behavior indicates that judges do not exercise exclusive authority over constitutional interpretation. Rather, that task is subject to greater democratic influence than is often acknowledged.

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9781108669146
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Publication date: 07/18/2019
Series: Comparative Constitutional Law and Policy
Sold by: Barnes & Noble
Format: eBook
File size: 4 MB

About the Author

Stephan Stohler is an Assistant Professor at State University of New York, Albany. His research and teaching interests are in the areas of public law and comparative politics, with a particular focus on the politics of constitutional interpretation.

Table of Contents

Part I. Introduction: 1. The politics of legal interpretation; Part II. United States of America: 2. Equality rights in American education and public spending; 3. Equality rights in American employment; 4. Equality rights in American representation; Part III. India: 5. Equality rights in Indian employment; 6. Equality rights in Indian education; Part IV. South Africa: 7. Equality rights in South Africa; Part V. Conclusion: 8. Conclusion; Bibliography; Index.
From the B&N Reads Blog

Customer Reviews