Mark Aaron Graber

Offers a wide-ranging and accessible anthology of essays for understanding the Declaration's intellectual and social context, connection to the American Revolution, and influence in the United States and throughout the world.

Argues that the Fourteenth Amendment was originally intended to punish former Confederates and reward loyal Unionists rather than to protect civil rights. Demonstrates how Republicans in the Thirty-Ninth Congress aimed to reshape postwar politics through loyalty and legislative power, not through Section 1's rights guarantees.

Explores whether the challenges facing constitutional democracies today reflect a true global crisis or are part of democracy's natural fluctuations. Offers historical context, current analysis, and insights into the causes and nature of today’s democratic struggles, serving as a guide for understanding the state of constitutional democracy in the early 21st century.

Offers a comprehensive, interdisciplinary exploration of how the U.S. Constitution functions in practice—not just through court decisions but as a framework for political life. Argues that American constitutionalism shapes politics more than it constrains it, and addresses core questions about constitutional purpose, interpretation, authority, and change.

Examines the moral dilemma of upholding a Constitution that included compromises with slavery. Argues that the U.S. Constitution was designed to mediate deep value conflicts, not define justice, and that it tolerated injustice to maintain union.