Encyclopedia of American Civil Liberties

Paul Finkelman, Editor

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A cornerstone of American public life, political culture, and private sphere, civil liberties continue to be at the forefront of modern political discourse. As government surveillance, reproductive rights, gay and lesbian rights and many other civil liberties issues repeatedly appear in the headlines of the news and media, it is important to understand the issues of civil liberties and the meaning of freedom in American life.

This major multidisciplinary Encyclopedia in American history and law is the first devoted to examining the issues of civil liberties and their relevance to major current events while providing a historical context and a philosophical discussion of the evolution of civil liberties. Coverage includes the traditional civil liberties: freedom of speech, press, religion, assembly, and petition. In addition, it also covers concerns such as privacy, the rights of the accused, and national security. Written by a wide-ranging and diverse group of scholars representing a variety of fields, the articles range in length from 250 words for a brief biography or definition to 5,000 words for in-depth analyses. Entries are organized around the following themes:

Biographies

Cases

Historical Overviews

Legislation and Legislative Action, Statutes, and Acts

Organizations and Government Bodies

Themes, Issues, Concepts, and Events

The Encyclopedia of American Civil Liberties is an essential reference for students, scholars, lawyers, and researchers as well as the general reader to better understand the complexity of civil liberties and their historic role in the development of the United States.

A-to-Z format for easy navigation
Extensive cross-references at the end of entries refer the reader to related entries
Useful bibliographies guide readers to additional sources for research
As appropriate, entries include a section that lists Cases and Statutes Cited
A thorough, analytical index
Thematic and alphabetic lists of entries
1399 articles written by over 450 contributors from a variety of fields including criminal law, constitutional law, law and religion, legal history, law and race, and reproductive rights
Entries are organized around the following themes:
- Biographies: entries focus on the social, political, and other circumstances relevant to the individual's work.
- Cases: entries provide a clear and engaging narrative that includes the background on the case, the identification of key players, and an explanation of how the case arose as well as the analysis, doctrine, and majority opinion vote. Case entries conclude by explaining the long-term impact of the decision, as well as the importance of the case in relation to civil liberties.
- Historical Overviews: entries focus on the origin of the subject in American history and its relationship to civil liberties. This includes influences (religious, philosophical, cultural, and so forth), major players and events, and long-term impact on civil liberties.
- Legislation, Legislative Action, Statutes, and Acts: entries detail the history, enactment, and current status of the law, statute, or act. This also includes precedents, actions, and events that led to its formation, cases involved in its history, and consequences or lasting impact on civil liberties.
- Organizations and Government Bodies: each entry includes the organization or government body's history, key members (including founders) throughout its history, and legal implications of its impact on civil liberties.
- Themes, Issues, Concepts, and Events: entries focus on the relationship between the subject and civil liberties. In addition, each entry may include the following issues: history, origins, and development; legal, academic, or theoretical debates; perspectives from different fields or schools of thought; or any unresolved issues concerning the subject.

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