Gerrymandering

An examination of the language of law in the area of political representation, this book considers the development and recognition of group claims brought pursuant to the Voting Rights Act and the Equal Protection Clause in Supreme Court opinions. In his analysis, Burke highlights the different, discursive strategies, broadly identified as liberal and communitarian, used by the Supreme Court to justify the outcomes of various cases, and he argues that no particular strategy of justification is inherently politically conservative or liberal and that no conception of political representation is unassailable. Therefore, it is unlikely that the Supreme Court will articulate a stable measure of fair representation. As such, this book tells the uncertain story of the creation of political fairness by the Supreme Court.

Majority black districts are necessary to ensure the equitable representation of African Americans. These districts are under attack today by conservative scholars and a conservative United States Supreme Court. Critics of race-conscious congressional districting argue that blacks can win election from majority white districts. Factors such as continued racial segregation, the existence of racial bloc voting by whites, and lack of minority success absent race-conscious remedies, however, provide strong evidence that the case for majority black districts remains compelling. This book provides a detailed analysis of the politics of racial redistricting, a topic of particular concern in light of recent federal court cases, and is divided into two parts.

Part one examines the historical exclusion of blacks from the American political process and the politics behind congressional redistricting. Investigation of the politics behind redistricting, focusing on partisan maneuvering, assesses whose interests were being served. In particular, the book chronicles the legislative action (creation of majority black districts) in North Carolina and around the South.

Part two shifts the focus to the myriad legal battles that ensued as a result of the newly created districts in North Carolina and around the South. Majority black districts are being dismantled by the Supreme Court because of criticism of their shape and because race was considered a predominant factor in their design. Irregularly shaped majority white districts have not been accused of violating districting principles. Furthermore, the fact that blacks were not elected to national office in large numbers prior to the creation ofmajority black districts indicates the continuing need for race-conscious districting as a temporary solution to a complex problem.

Challenging trends in Supreme Court decisions on civil rights, the author of this book criticizes the Court's postmodern equal protection and seeks to demonstrate that legislative and judicial history still matter for public policy.

This up-to-date collection of essays addresses key elements of the law and politics of voting rights: the Supreme Court's jurisprudence, the impact of the Voting Rights Act, and the opportunities for enhanced minority representation posed by alternative electoral systems.

In the Limits of Law, Peter Schuck draws on law, social science, and history to explore this momentous clash between law's compelling promise of ordered liberty and the realistic limits of its capacity to deliver on this promise.

Using an integrative approach to international relations, the second edition of Reordering the World returns the "geo" to geopolitical analysis of current global issues. Focusing on key, emerging world issues such as spatial data technology, IGOs/NGOs, and gender and world politics, this group of eminent geographers challenges the reader to rethink international relations and reorder the world political map.