Courses

THE FIRST AMENDMENT

THIS CLASS IS FULL - PLEASE NO NEW ENROLLMENTS

 

In this short course we consider the purpose and the meaning of the speech and religion clauses of the First Amendment of the Constitution of the United States.  Our purpose is to make clear what every citizen should know about the First Amendment to be a knowledgeable and faithful guardian of the Constitution.  In particular, we will read and discuss a few Supreme Court decisions that address what a citizen may say or believe, when and where we may say or practice it, and when we may be silenced or prohibited from acting.  Along the way, I hope we will be able to discard some commonly held misconceptions about what the First Amendment means, as well as address a few questions that are fundamental to any understanding of the First Amendment: Why do we have a First Amendment? What does the First Amendment protect?  And what is the future of the First Amendment?

Instructor: John Finn

Four Tuesdays: October 8, 15, 22, 29

6-7:30pm

Butterfield Room, Wasch Center

$90

John Finn

John Finn is a professor of government at Wesleyan University. 

Please see who's who for his full biography.