Constitutional Law/Civil Rights (CLCR)

This course examines current constitutional doctrine concerning religion under the First Amendment to the Constitution. The focus will be on the essential cases and principles of the Free Exercise and Establishment Clauses of the First Amendment. These cases and principles are organized along three thematic lines: (1) the regulation of religions activity (free exercise and neutriality, governmental interests, legislative accommodation), (2) the funding of religions activity (establishment and neutriality, governmental support of religious institutions), and (3) the treatment of religion in government's culture shaping activities (public schools, school curriculum, religious speech). The course ends with a discussion of the definition of "religion" for purposes of federal constitutional law.

This course examines the history, values and function of free expression, advocacy of illegal action, expression that provokes a hostile audience reaction, defamation, commercial advertising, obscenity, hate speech and pornography, expression in public places, symbolic speech, campaign finance laws, and speech in restricted environments.