The Political Science Department hosted another successful Constitution Day on September 27, 2018, featuring the Dean of Berkeley Law School, Erwin Chemerinsky. Professor Chemerinsky is a renowned scholar of constitutional law, criminal procedure, and federal jurisdiction. He has published 11 books, including We the People: A Progressive Reading of the Constitution for the Twenty-First Century (2018) and Free Speech on Campus (2017), and over 200 law review articles. In addition to his prolific scholarly career, Professor Chemerinsky has had a remarkable legal career, arguing several cases before the U.S. Supreme Court, including: United States v. Apel, Tory v. Cochran, Van Orden v. Perry and Lockyer v. Andrade.
On Constitution Day, Professor Chemerinsky focused on the highly salient issue of free speech on campuses. In the last two years, violent clashes between students and campus polices around divisive speakers like Ann Coulter and Milo Yiannopoulis has re-launched issues of free speech into front and center on college campuses. Professor Chemerinsky delivered a thoughtful defense of the importance of free speech on campuses, even when the speech can be offensive. To support this point, Professor Chemerinsky reviewed the history of how free speech has been used by vulnerable groups to attain key rights. Professor Chemerinsky covered an impressive range of case law during his speech, all while speaking extemporaneously and pacing across the Laxson Stage.
Credit for another successful Constitution Day celebration goes to many parties, including faculty organizers, Diana Dwyre and Andy Potter, Pi Sigma Alpha for co-sponsoring the event, and department Chair Mahalley Allen for her introduction of Professor Chemerinsky, and Chico Performances, for their assistance in hosting the event in Laxson Auditorium.
