New Histories of Gun Rights and Regulation: Essays on the Place of Guns in American Law and Society - Hardcover

by Joseph Blocher (Editor), Jacob D. Charles (Editor), Darrell A. H. Miller (Editor)

The US Supreme Court recently held that the constitutionality of modern gun laws depends on whether they are "consistent with this Nation's historical tradition of firearm regulation." This landmark judicial decision, which cited an essay in this collection, made it ever more crucial to be clear about what the "historical tradition" entails. The scope of the Second Amendment's right to keep and bear arms, and accordingly the government's power to regulate firearms in the interest of public safety, hangs in the balance.

Drawing on original research and sources not available to earlier Supreme Court opinions, New Histories of Gun Rights and Regulations brings together various methodological approaches and highlights issues in firearms law that have been previously underexamined. Its contributors, including distinguished historians, social scientists, and legal scholars, offer valuable new insight into the place of guns in American law and society. This groundbreaking new volume illuminates how history and constitutional law interact, suggesting concrete answers to some live legal controversies.

A vital contribution to a vibrant debate, New Histories of Gun Rights and Regulations is an essential read for anyone seeking to understand the scope of the Second Amendment--a right whose breadth is frequently defined by its historical treatment.

Author Biography

Joseph Blocher is the Lanty L. Smith '67 Distinguished Professor of Law at Duke Law School and Faculty Co-Director of the Center for Firearms Law. He has published dozens of articles on constitutional law in leading law reviews and public outlets, testified before Congress, and received the law school's Distinguished Teaching Award in 2012.

Jacob D. Charles is an Associate Professor of Law at Pepperdine University Caruso School of Law and previously served as the inaugural executive director of Duke Law School's Center for Firearms Law. He has published more than a dozen academic articles on the Second Amendment.

Darrell A. H. Miller is the Melvin G. Shimm Distinguished Professor of Law at Duke Law School and Faculty Co-Director of the Center for Firearms Law. His scholarship on the Second Amendment has been published in leading law reviews and has been cited by the Supreme Court of the United States and in congressional testimony and legal briefs.