I’m a Historian. I See Reason to Fear—And to Hope.
We can’t assume that all will be fine in the end, but history shows us that times of unrest are opportunities, too.
The Battle For The Constitution
A special project on the constitutional debates in American life, in partnership with the National Constitution Center
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This work was commissioned, produced, and edited by The Atlantic's editorial staff. Support for this work was provided in part by the organizations listed here.
Support for this project was provided by the Madison Initiative of the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation.
The Constitution Is Perfectly Clear About Citizenship
The persistence of birtherism is a depressing feature of our corrupt and hateful national dialogue.
The Other Way Trump Could Destroy the Next Presidency
Short of an outright constitutional crisis, a lot could still go horribly wrong.
The Whole Concept of ‘Unlawful Assembly’ Is a Mess
“Unlawful assembly” is like “illegal writing” or “forbidden religious exercise”: There surely may be such a thing, but what qualifies?
Reform the Court, but Don’t Pack It
The goal shouldn’t be to make the Court less ideological, but to make it less powerful.
Trump Has Launched a Three-Pronged Attack on the Election
And it starts with undermining the U.S. Postal Service.
The Supreme Court Is Avoiding Talking About Race
Saying nothing often is saying something.
The Nation’s First Civil-Rights Law Needs to Be Fixed
Section 1981 has been on the books for more than 150 years. But its promise has never been fulfilled.
Can Anything Be Done to Rein In the President’s Speech?
Trump’s words are dangerous, and society must find ways big and small to push back.
There Is Nothing Conservative About What Trump Is Doing in Portland
Unconstitutional police activity is not conservative. It’s authoritarian.