The Cambridge Companion to the United States Constitution

This Companion provides a broad historically informed introduction to the study of the US constitutional system. In place of the usual laundry lists of cases doctrines and theories it presents a picture of the constitutional system in action with separate sections devoted to constitutional principles organizational structures and the various legal and extra-legal ''actions'' through which litigators and average citizens have attempted to bring about constitutional change. Finally the volume covers a number of subjects that are rarely discussed in works aimed at a general audience but which are critical to ensuring that constitutional rights are honored in the day-to-day lives of citizens. These include standing and causes of action suits against officeholders and the inner workings of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC). This Companion places present-day constitutional controversies in historical context and offers insights from a range of disciplines including history political science and law.