Alec Arellano

What is the best form of government for human beings? This course examines some of the most legally influential and creative answers to that question, offered by thinkers from Aristotle to Rawls and beyond. Reflecting on what form of government is best for human beings also requires inquiry into what human beings are like. The answers may surprise you.

This course examines key themes in American political thought and their implications for today, including the contested meaning of the Declaration of Independence, the controversy over ratification of the Constitution, and different approaches to confronting injustice, with a particular emphasis on slavery and its legacy.

This course explores how the Supreme Court has interpreted and applied the nation's foundational document – the United States Constitution. In doing so, we will examine the powers of the federal and state governments, the executive’s emergency powers, and the Supreme Court’s authority to nullify the acts of other branches.