Books in Personal Freedom series

One of our most fundamental rights as citizens of a democracy is our right to due process of law. This principle provides critical protection against arbitrary rule by the government. The text explores the origins of this very old constitutional principle and how its traditional definition has expanded over time. From a basic concern with fairness in criminal procedures (procedural due process), the legal concept expanded to become a key tool for protecting a variety of individual rights, some of them controversial (substantive due process). This title fulfills the needs of the Common Core by providing rigorous, complex text and examining due process rights from multiple points of view.

Technology has had a great influence on the legal system, particularly the right to privacy. This book explains how individual rights are being challenged in cyberspace, through digital media, and the pursuit of national security. Readers are introduced to topics such as what rights the Constitution protects in general and questions how the rules have been tested with regard to technology, such as expectations of privacy online. Digital media are also studied with regards to copyright laws, freedom of Internet speech, and cyberbullying. Regarding the subject of privacy in the electronic age, this book poses questions such as what is the right balance between security and privacy regarding surveillance, how much personal information can Web sites collect on individuals, and how much personal information be stored on third-party servers. Finally, the appendix includes a copy of the Bill of Rights so readers can better understand the rights of American citizens in this new technological landscape.

This book is for those who are not only interested in law, but how the law works in daily practice when it comes to the limitation of powers. Readers are first given a history of the development of the rule of law and the basic principles of the legal system among societies through the ages. The book then explains the rule of law in America and how the American legal system came about and evolved. Profiled are seminal court cases that helped shape the rule of law into what it is today. The text analyzes controversial legal issues, such as terrorism, national security, and the legality of drone strikes. It also offers a look at legislation in the future with evolving technologies that test First Amendment rights. With an appendix that includes the actual text from the Bill of Rights, this book is a comprehensive companion for any student of social studies.

Among other freedoms, the First Amendment to the Constitution guarantees a free press. This enlightening book examines the origins of freedom of the press in America and traces many of the important court battles that helped define that freedom. Further, the author explores the continuing evolution of the media today, including the ways in which technology may be changing the meaning of a free press. The text supports curricular requirements by looking at press freedom through the lenses of the law, history, and media literacy. Fascinating historical and recent news photographs enhance the narrative.