Background
Urofsky, Melvin Irving was born on February 7, 1939 in New York City. Son of Philip and Sylvia (Passow) University.
(In the first half of this century, a talented and charism...)
In the first half of this century, a talented and charismatic leadership restructured the American Jewish community to meet the demands and opportunities of a pluralistic, secular society. The work of this generation of titans still guides the current modes of American Jewish life. The last of these giants was the influential reformer Stephen S. Wise--a progenitor of American Zionism, creator of the American and World Jewish Congresses, and founder of the Jewish Institute of Religion. As rabbi of the Free Synagogue, Wise led the fight for a living Judaism responsive to social problems. This engrossing study is more than a chronicle of an ethnic community's adjustment to a host society. Thanks to Melvin Urofsky's painstaking research, it succeeds in revealing the true story behind a legendary and controversial figure in American Jewish history.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0873955390/?tag=2022091-20
(A March of Liberty: A Constitutional History of the Unite...)
A March of Liberty: A Constitutional History of the United States, 2/e, is a clearly written, comprehensive overview of American constitutional development. Covering the country's history from the founding of the English colonies up through the latest decisions of the Supreme Court, this two-volume work presents the most complete discussion of American constitutional history currently available. Reflecting the latest in contemporary scholarship, the authors successfully blend cases and court doctrines into the larger fabric of American political, economic, and social history. They discuss in detail the great cases handed down by the Supreme Court, showing how these cases played out in society and how constitutional growth parallels changes in American culture. In addition, this two-volume set examines lesser-known decisions that played important roles in affecting change, and also contains in-depth analyses of the intellects and personalities of the Supreme Court justices who made these influential decisions. This second edition of A March of Liberty addresses recent scholarship on race and gender, covers both constitutional and legal history, and examines federal, state, and private law. The text exemplifies the current trends in American constitutional history through its holistic approach of integrating the decisions of the state and lower federal courts with the decisions of the Supreme Court. Volume I covers the colonial period up through Reconstruction and explores central rulings on property law, religious freedom, slavery, and women's rights. It also examines the need for a governmental system of checks and balances, lesser-known rulings on land and water usage, and impeachment and treason trials. A March of Liberty, 2/e, features useful supplemental materials including the text of the Constitution, a chronological list of Supreme Court justices, and suggested further readings. Gracefully written and clearly explained, this popular two-volume set is indispensable for courses in American constitutional history and law.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0195126351/?tag=2022091-20
(This work is an overview of American constitutional devel...)
This work is an overview of American constitutional development, from the founding of the English colonies down through the decisions of the latest term of the Supreme Court. The authors examine in detail the cases handed down by the Supreme Court, showing how these cases played out in the society at large and how constitutional growth parallels change in American culture. The authors also look at lesser known decisions that played important roles in effecting change, and at the Justices who made these decisions. The book offers students of American constitutional history a complete reference work which should be intelligible to the layperson as well as to the specialist.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0394564146/?tag=2022091-20
(This work is an overview of American constitutional devel...)
This work is an overview of American constitutional development, from the founding of the English colonies down through the decisions of the latest term of the Supreme Court. The authors examine in detail the cases handed down by the Supreme Court, showing how these cases played out in the society at large and how constitutional growth parallels change in American culture. The authors also look at lesser known decisions that played important roles in effecting change, and at the Justices who made these decisions. The book offers students of American constitutional history a complete reference work which should be intelligible to the layperson as well as to the specialist.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0195126343/?tag=2022091-20
(Money greases the wheels of American politics from the lo...)
Money greases the wheels of American politics from the local level to the White House. In the 2004 presidential campaign, President George W. Bush alone raised nearly $400 million in private and public funds—nearly twenty times the combined total raised by John Kennedy and Richard Nixon in 1960—to defeat challenger John F. Kerry, further fueling anxiety over the power of money to dictate political results. Melvin Urofsky, one of our nation's most respected legal historians, takes a fresh look at efforts to rein in campaign spending and counter efforts in the courts to preserve the status quo. He offers a thoughtful and balanced overview of campaign finance reform and the legal responses to it, from the Progressive era through the Supreme Court's landmark ruling in McConnell v. FEC (2003) and its impact on the 2004 election. Urofsky focuses especially on the 1971 Federal Election Campaign Act and 2002 McCain-Feingold or Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (BCRA), and on challenges to both in the Supreme Court. In Buckley v. Valeo (1976), the Court upheld contribution limits but struck down expenditure caps on First Amendment grounds. In McConnell it upheld the key provisions of McCain-Feingold. In both cases, however, opponents argued that congressional control of campaign financing was an unconstitutional infringement of the free speech rights of campaign contributors. Urofsky deftly steers the reader through this contentious and complex history, revealing how both Congress and the courts have navigated uneasily between the Scylla of potential corruption and the Charybdis of suppressing political speech. Ironically, despite the Court's decision upholding McCain-Feingold, the 2004 presidential election was the most expensive in history—because, as Urofsky notes, money is the mother's milk of politics and both candidates and donors will always find ways to keep it flowing. His book provides an excellent and succinct guide to the controversies and historical debates emerging from that fact.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0700614036/?tag=2022091-20
(A March of Liberty: A Constitutional History of the Unite...)
A March of Liberty: A Constitutional History of the United States, 2/e, is a clearly written, comprehensive overview of American constitutional development. Covering the country's history from the founding of the English colonies up through the latest decisions of the Supreme Court, this two-volume work presents the most complete discussion of American constitutional history currently available. Reflecting the latest in contemporary scholarship, the authors successfully blend cases and court doctrines into the larger fabric of American political, economic, and social history. They discuss in detail the great cases handed down by the Supreme Court, showing how these cases played out in society and how constitutional growth parallels changes in American culture. In addition, this two-volume set examines lesser-known decisions that played important roles in affecting change, and also contains in-depth analyses of the intellects and personalities of the Supreme Court justices who made these influential decisions. This second edition of A March of Liberty addresses recent scholarship on race and gender, covers both constitutional and legal history, and examines federal, state, and private law. The text exemplifies the current trends in American constitutional history through its holistic approach of integrating the decisions of the state and lower federal courts with the decisions of the Supreme Court. Volume II addresses Reconstruction to the present and covers key issues including police power, criminal law, income tax, child labor, desegregation, school prayer, and foreign policy. It also examines control over issuing legal tender and control of and limits on conducting commerce. A March of Liberty, 2/e, features useful supplemental materials including the text of the Constitution, a chronological list of Supreme Court justices, and suggested further readings. Gracefully written and clearly explained, this popular two-volume set is indispensable for courses in American constitutional history and law.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0195126378/?tag=2022091-20
(Chronicles a changing of the docket -- from the sanctity ...)
Chronicles a changing of the docket -- from the sanctity of private property to the primacy of individual liberties.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1570031207/?tag=2022091-20
(In two 1997 decisions, the Supreme Court ruled that there...)
In two 1997 decisions, the Supreme Court ruled that there is no constitutional right to physician-assisted suicide. Yet for many people this concept strikes to the heart of our sense of liberty even as it tugs at our hearts in the face of human suffering. Lethal Judgments examines those cases, the law surrounding the plaintiffs' claims, and the moral debate over physician-assisted suicide. A concise and gracefully written overview of one of the most complex and contentious areas of American law, it lays out the conflict between individuals supporting privacy rights, due process, and equal protection, and those for whom moral and ethical considerations trump such concepts. Noted constitutional scholar Melvin Urofsky discusses the tangled legal, historical, ethical, and medical issues related to right-to-die arguments, then examines the Supreme Court's position in Washington v. Glucksberg and Quill v. Vacco. He shows how these 1997 cases relate to two other famous cases—Karen Ann Quinlan and Nancy Beth Cruzan—and carries the controversy up to the recent trials of Dr. Jack Kevorkian. Urofsky considers the many facets of this knotty argument. He differentiates between discontinuation of medical treatment, assisted suicide, and active euthanasia, and he sensitively examines the issue's social and religious contexts to enable readers to see both sides of the dispute. He also shows that in its ruling the Supreme Court did not slam the door on the subject but left it ajar by allowing states to legislate on the matter as Oregon has already done. By treating assisted suicide simply as a legal question, observes Urofsky, we miss the real importance of the issue. For patients with AIDS, cancer, and other debilitating illnesses—or even for those feeble from age—physician-assisted suicide is an expression of personal autonomy, and as modern medicine learns new ways to prolong life, more and more people will seek to exercise this option. Because right-to-die cases are likely to come before the high court again, this book provides students and general readers with a timely appreciation of their importance for legal theory and a useful way to reflect upon the choice between life and death.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0700610111/?tag=2022091-20
(A March of Liberty: A Constitutional History of the Unite...)
A March of Liberty: A Constitutional History of the United States, Third Edition, is a clearly written, comprehensive overview of American constitutional development. Covering the country's history from the founding of the English colonies up through the latest decisions of the Supreme Court, this two-volume work presents the most complete discussion of American constitutional history currently available. Authors Melvin I. Urofsky and Paul Finkelman successfully blend cases and court doctrines into the larger fabric of American political, economic, and social history. They discuss in detail the great cases handed down by the Supreme Court, showing how these cases played out in society and how constitutional growth parallels changes in American culture. In addition, they examine lesser-known decisions that played important roles in affecting change, and also provide in-depth analyses of the intellects and personalities of the Supreme Court justices who made these influential decisions. Updated with the most recent scholarship, the third edition of A March of Liberty offers more cases on a broader range of issues including the environment, labor, civil rights, and Native American concerns. It now presents new selections on decisions, statutes, and constitutional developments from the first decade of the 21st century--like the USA PATRIOT Act, presidential signing statements, same-sex marriage, reproductive rights, campaign financing, and firearms regulation. The text reflects the current trends in American constitutional history by employing a holistic approach that integrates the decisions of the state and lower federal courts with the decisions of the Supreme Court. A March of Liberty, Third Edition, features useful supplemental materials including the text of the Constitution, a chronological list of Supreme Court justices, an appendix of the names and years for each Supreme Court justice, and suggested further readings. Gracefully written and clearly explained, this popular two-volume set is indispensable for courses in American constitutional history and law.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0195382730/?tag=2022091-20
Urofsky, Melvin Irving was born on February 7, 1939 in New York City. Son of Philip and Sylvia (Passow) University.
AB, Columbia University, 1961; Master of Arts, Columbia University, 1962; Doctor of Philosophy, Columbia University, 1968; Juris Doctor, University of Virginia, 1983.
Instructor history Ohio State University, 1964-1967. Assistant professor history and education, then assistant dean State University of New York, Albany, 1967-1974. Professor history Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, 1974—2003, director doctoral program public policy, since 1996, professor emeritus, since 2003.
Harrison visiting professor College William and Mary, 1990-1991. Adjunct professor law University Richmond, 1989-2000.
(In the first half of this century, a talented and charism...)
(In the first half of this century, a talented and charism...)
(This work is an overview of American constitutional devel...)
(This work is an overview of American constitutional devel...)
(A March of Liberty: A Constitutional History of the Unite...)
(A March of Liberty: A Constitutional History of the Unite...)
(A March of Liberty: A Constitutional History of the Unite...)
(A March of Liberty: A Constitutional History of the Unite...)
(Chronicles a changing of the docket -- from the sanctity ...)
(In two 1997 decisions, the Supreme Court ruled that there...)
(Money greases the wheels of American politics from the lo...)
(Book by Urofsky, Melvin I.)
(Book by Urofsky, Melvin I.)
(Progressive Tradition)
Chairman executive committee Zionist Academic Council, 1976-1979. Member national board American Zionist Federation, 1976-1979. Co-chairman American Zionist Ideological Commission, 1976-1978.
National board Association Reform Zionists American, 1978-1984. Member American Jewish History Society (chairman academy council 1979-1983), American Legal History Society (board directors, executive committee 1991-1994), Organization American Historians, Virginia History Society (trustee 1992-1998).
Married Susan Linda Miller, August 27, 1961. Children: Philip Eric, Robert Ian.