556.01 Second Amendment: History, Theory, and Practice

The Supreme Court's decisions in District of Columbia v. Heller and McDonald v. City of Chicago have ushered in a whole new era of Second Amendment theory, litigation, and politics. Current events keep issues of firearms, gun violence, gun safety, and self-defense constantly in the news. This seminar will explore the Second Amendment and the various state constitutional analogs historically, theoretically, and pragmatically. Students will be introduced to the historical and public policy materials surrounding the Second Amendment, the regulatory environment concerning firearms, and the political and legal issues pertaining to firearm rights-enforcement and policy design. Evaluation for the seminar will be based on in-class participation and a choice between six short reaction papers or one thirty-page paper.

Fall 2021

Course Number Course Credits Evaluation Method Instructor
556.01
Course Credits
Jake Charles
Sakai site: https://sakai.duke.edu/portal/site/LAW.556.01.F21
Email list: LAW.556.01.F21@sakai.duke.edu
Course
Degree Requirements
Course Requirements - JD
Course Requirements - Public Interest
Course Areas of Practice