A "Representative" Supreme Court? : the impact of race, religion, and gender on appointments

Bibliographic Information

A "Representative" Supreme Court? : the impact of race, religion, and gender on appointments

Barbara A. Perry ; foreword by David M. O'Brien

(Contributions in legal studies, no. 66)

Greenwood Press, 1991

Available at  / 19 libraries

Search this Book/Journal

Note

Includes bibliographical references (p. [147]-155) and index

Description and Table of Contents

Description

In recent decades, the U.S. Supreme Court has taken on an increased political prominence, due largely to such controversial issues as abortion, the separation of church and state, and civil rights. Because such issues could be affected by a Court member's personal beliefs and experiences, the question of how race, religion, and gender influence Supreme Court appointments is a crucial one. In this work, Barbara Perry explores the impact of these factors on the Court, placing the presidential nominations in their historical and political contexts. She examines the question of whether justices should be chosen in order to create a representative court that reflects elements in American society. The book is based on both primary and secondary sources, including interviews with seven members of the Court. Following a detailed introduction, Perry provides a historical analysis of the appointments of eight Catholics, five Jews, one black, and one woman, revealing a link between the appointments and the political, social, electoral, and demographic contexts in which they were made. She traces the decline in importance of the religious factor, as the ascendence of religious groups in mainstream politics no longer made it necessary for presidents to maintain a representative Court position. Representative considerations, however, will continue to play a role in the selection process, and Perry argues for a reconciliation between the undeniable pull of politics and ideology and the demands for merit-based appointments. This work will add an important new perspective to studies of the Supreme Court, as well as to the study of law, political science, and American history.

Table of Contents

Foreword by David M. O'Brien Preface Introduction Religion: A "Catholic Seat"? Religion: A "Jewish Seat"? Race: A "Black Seat"? Gender: A "Woman's Seat"? Conclusion: Should the Supreme Court Be "Representative"? Appendix 1: Members of the United States Supreme Court, 1798--1991 Appendix 2: Catholic, Jewish, Black, and Female Justices of the United States Supreme Court Bibliography Index

by "Nielsen BookData"

Related Books: 1-1 of 1

Details

Page Top