States of Exception in American History

States of Exception in American History explores the numerous instances since the Founding when the Constitution's protections have been overridden, suspended, or weakened for specific members of society. It combines historical studies of exception moments and spaces with conceptual analyses of emergency, the state of exception, sovereignty, and dictatorship. The book investigates whether the United States can survive states of emergency without losing its democratic way, drawing inspiration from and illuminating the American experience with constitutional rule in the age of terror and Trump.

\n Format: Paperback / softback
\n Length: 344 pages
\n Publication date: 19 October 2020
\n Publisher: The University of Chicago Press
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Since the founding of the United States, there have been numerous instances where the Constitution's protections have been overridden, suspended, or deliberately weakened for specific members of society. In the United States, deviations from the rule of law have been seen as a characteristic rather than a flaw of the constitutional system.

This groundbreaking book offers the first comprehensive examination of the politics of exceptions and emergencies in the history of the United States. It seamlessly weaves together historical studies of pivotal moments and spaces of exception with conceptual analyses of emergency, the state of exception, sovereignty, and dictatorship. The Civil War, the Great Depression, and the Cold War are prominent in the essays, as are figures such as Francis Lieber, Frederick Douglass, John Dewey, Clinton Rossiter, and others who explored the possibility of the United States surviving states of emergency while preserving its democratic essence.

States of Exception combines political theory and the history of political thought with histories of race and political institutions. It draws inspiration from and provides valuable insights into the American experience with constitutional rule in the age of terror and Trump. By examining these states of exception, the book sheds light on the complex dynamics between power, law, and democracy and offers valuable lessons for navigating the challenges of contemporary politics.

\n Weight: 546g\n
Dimension: 152 x 229 x 24 (mm)\n
ISBN-13: 9780226712321\n \n