OSHER 426 - Citizen Governance, the Judiciary, and Global Rule of Law

It is not possible to have a functioning society without some assurance that norms will be observed in everyday life. In Western societies, that need is met by what we know as the "rule of law." After the Enlightenment period, that system has been implemented through democratically chosen government with an independent judiciary. Although the system of justice in the United States remains the prototype for both citizen governance and judicial independence, the U.S., along with the rest of the world, is in the throes of a governance crisis as democracy is threatened by various tribalism and anti-government movements. We will examine both U.S. Supreme Court cases and global trends, all in the context of citizenship, alienage, and democracy.