The Judiciary in American Democracy: Alexander Bickel, the Countermajoritarian Difficulty, And Contemporary Constitutional Theory (Suny Series in American Constitutionalism)

The role courts should play in American democracy has long been contested, fueling debates among citizens who take an active interest in politics. Alexander Bickel made a significant contribution to these debates with his seminal publication. The Least Dangerous Branch, which framed the problem of defending legitimate judicial authority. This book addresses whether or not the counter-majoritarian difficulty outlined in Bickel's work continues to have significance for constitutional theory almost a half-century later. The contributors illustrate how the counter-majoritarian difficulty and Bickel's response to it engage prominent theories: the proceduralisms of John Hart Ely and Jeremy Waldron; the republicanisms of Bruce Ackerman and Cass Sunstein; and the originalisms of Raoul Berger, Robert Bork, and Keith Whittington. In so doing, this book provides a useful introduction to recent debates in constitutional theory and also contributes to the broader discussion about the proper role of the courts. THE JUDICIARY AND AMERICAN DEMOCRACY......Page 2 CONTENTS......Page 6 INTRODUCTION Kenneth D. Ward......Page 8 1. PRINCIPLE, PRUDENCE, AND JUDICIAL POWER Robert F. Nagel......Page 16 2. THE JURISPRUDENCE OF CONSTITUTIONAL REGIMES: ALEXANDER BICKEL AND CASS SUNSTEIN Mark Tushnet......Page 30 3. ALEXANDER BICKEL AND THE NEW JUDICIAL MINIMALISM Christopher J. Peters and Neal Devins......Page 52 4. DEMOCRATIC CONSTITUTIONALISM: THE BICKEL-ACKERMAN DIALECTIC David M. Golove......Page 78 5. THE COUNTERMAJORITARIAN DIFFICULTY: TRADITION VERSUS ORIGINAL MEANING Stanley C. Brubaker......Page 112 6. AN EMPIRICAL ANALYSIS OF ALEXANDER BICKEL’S THE LEAST DANGEROUS BRANCH Terri Peretti......Page 130 7. BICKEL AND THE NEW PROCEDURALISTS Kenneth D.Ward......Page 154 8. CONSTITUTIONAL THEORY AND THE FACES OF POWER Keith E.Whittington......Page 170 CONTRIBUTORS......Page 198 C......Page 200 D......Page 201 J......Page 202 L......Page 203 R......Page 204 Y......Page 205 Principle, Prudence And Judicial Power / Robert F. Nagel -- The Jurisprudence Of Constitutional Regimes : Alexander Bickel And Cass Sunstein / Mark Tushnet -- Alexander Bickel And The New Judicial Minimalism / Christopher J. Peters, Neal Devins -- Democratic Constitutionalism : The Bickel- Ackerman Dialectic / David M. Golove -- The Countermajoritarian Difficulty : Tradition Versus Original Meaning / Stanley C. Brubaker -- An Empirical Analysis Of Alexander Bickel's The Least Dangerous Branch / Terri Peretti -- Bickel And The New Proceduralists / Kenneth D. Ward -- Constitutional Theory And Faces Of Power / Keith E. Whittington. Kenneth D. Ward And Cecilia R. Castillo, Editors. Includes Bibliographical References And Index.