Interpreting the Constitution: A Debate on Originalism and Its Alternatives

There has been increasing discussion and debate over the role of originalism in constitutional interpretation and about the Supreme Court’s direction to lower courts regarding application of that methodology. But what exactly is originalism? What are the various forms of originalist theory? What do the critics of originalism say, and what alternatives do they offer? And what are the implications of this theory and its alternatives for lawyers litigating cases and the district and appellate court judges deciding them?
Join us for an engaging debate between esteemed legal scholars, Professor David A. Strauss of the University of Chicago Law School and Professor John O. McGinnis of Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law-moderated by renowned constitutional scholar, Professor Akhil Reed Amar of Yale Law School-who will discuss these ideas and more.
Speakers:
Akhil Reed Amar, Sterling Professor of Law and Political Science, Yale Law School, Moderator
John O. McGinnis, George C. Dix Professor in Constitutional Law, Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law
David A. Strauss, Gerald Ratner Distinguished Service Professor of Law, University of Chicago Law School
Recorded July 31, 2023