na INLIS000000000009257 20221109113251 0010-0520009257 221109 | | ind 9780791465561 ind 347.7312 347.7312 JUD Judiciary and American Democracy Edited by Kenneth D. Ward and Cecilia R. Castillo Judiciary and American Democracy : Alexander Bickel, The Countermajoritarian Difficulty, and Contemporary Constitutional Theory / Edited by Kenneth D. Ward and Cecilia R. Castillo Albany : State University Press, 2006 v, 198 p. ; 24 cm. ; 24 cm. The role courts should play in American democracy has long been contested, fueling debates among citizens who take an active interest in politics. Alexander Bickel made a significant contribution to these debates with his seminal publication, The Least Dangerous Branch, which framed the problem of defending legitimate judicial authority. This book addresses whether or not the countermajoritarian difficulty outlined in Bickel's work continues to have significance for constitutional theory almost a half-century later. The contributors illustrate how the countermajoritarian difficulty and Bickel's response to it engage prominent theories: the proceduralisms of John Hart Ely and Jeremy Waldron; the republicanisms of Bruce Ackerman and Cass Sunstein; and the originalisms of Raoul Berger, Robert Bork, and Keith Whittington. In so doing, this book provides a useful introduction to recent debates in constitutional theory and also contributes to the broader discussion about the proper role of the courts. Bickel, Alexander M. Constitutional law --United States --Philosophy. Political questions and judicial power --United States. 22147/MKRI-P/XI-2011 22146/MKRI-P/XI-2011 22147/MKRI-P/XI-2011 22146/MKRI-P/XI-2011 22146/MKRI-P/XI-2011 22147/MKRI-P/XI-2011