The leading U.S. expert on abortion law charts the many meanings associated with Roe v. Wade during its fifty-year history
Paperback
PRODUCT INFORMATION
Summary
The leading U.S. expert on abortion law charts the many meanings associated with Roe v. Wade during its fifty-year history
Description
The leading U.S. expert on abortion law charts the many meanings associated with Roe v. Wade during its fifty-year history
"Ziegler sets a brisk pace but delivers substantial depth. . . . A must-read for those seeking to understand what comes next."—Publishers Weekly
What explains the insistent pull of Roe v. Wade? Abortion law expert Mary Ziegler argues that the U.S. Supreme Court decision, which decriminalized abortion in 1973 and was overturned in 2022, had a hold on us that was not simply the result of polarized abortion politics. Rather, Roe took on meanings far beyond its original purpose of protecting the privacy of the doctor-patient relationship. It forced us to confront questions about sexual violence, judicial activism and restraint, racial justice, religious liberty, the role of science in politics, and much more.
In this history of what the Supreme Court's best-known decision has meant, Ziegler identifies the inconsistencies and unsettled issues in our abortion politics. She urges us to rediscover the nuance that has long resided where we would least expect to find it—in the meaning of Roe itself.
Critic Reviews
“The chapters track political debates over national values, but Ziegler grounds them in the intimate histories of people whose names are likely unknown or unfamiliar to most abortion scholars. . . . They are people who made meaning of Roe in unexpected ways, and Ziegler tenderly narrates a national history of Roe from their lives, making the book uniquely brilliant and uniquely valuable for comparative study.”—Joanna N. Erdman, Comparative Legal History
“An accessible and timely primer on the many meanings Roe has accrued in American politics, law, and culture across half a century, deepening our understanding of this polarizing constitutional landmark.”—Ken I. Kersch, author of Conservatives and the Constitution
“Mary Ziegler offers a brilliant and insightful analysis of the fascinating ways in which our nation’s understanding of the abortion issue has evolved over the half-century since Roe was decided.”—Geoffrey R. Stone, author of Sex and the Constitution
“With the landmark Supreme Court abortion decision as its lens, Roe offers a vivid view of the half-century of political, legal, and social conflicts over judicial activism, women’s rights, the place of religion in America, racial justice, sexuality, regional and class differences—while illuminating shifting political party positioning and pivotal individuals who resist the easy labels of polarized politics.”—Martha Minow, 300th Anniversary University Professor, Harvard University
About the Author
Mary Ziegler is the Martin Luther King Jr. Professor of Law at the University of California, Davis, and author of six books on the law, history, and politics of abortion and American conservatism. She lives in Sausalito, CA.
Product Details
Returns
This item is eligible for free returns within 30 days of delivery. See our returns policy for further details.
Browse by category
- Books » Non-Fiction » History » World & General History
- Books
- Books » Non-Fiction
- Books » Non-Fiction » History
- Books » Non-Fiction » Law » Legal History
- Books » Non-Fiction » Law
- Books » Non-Fiction » Politics & Social Sciences » Women's Studies
- Books » Non-Fiction » Politics & Social Sciences
- Books » Non-Fiction » History » North American
- Books » Non-Fiction » Politics & Social Sciences » Social Sciences » Ethics » Abortion
- Books » Non-Fiction » Politics & Social Sciences » Social Sciences
- Books » Non-Fiction » Politics & Social Sciences » Social Sciences » Ethics
- Books » Non-Fiction » Politics & Social Sciences » Women's Studies » Abortion & Birth Control
- Books » Non-Fiction » History » United States
- Books » Non-Fiction » History » Study & Teaching
