The Supreme Court in American Politics: New Institutionalist Interpretations
According to professors Gillman and Clayton, pivotal aspects of the work of the United States Supreme Court beyond simply the voting records of the justices deserve close scrutiny. They acknowledge that this premise is not new but point out that their work is an intellectual descendant of the reaction earlier in this century to the mechanical jurisprudence school of thoughtAhence, their claim of offering "new" institutionalist interpretations. All of the book's contributors argue effectively that the work of the court can be properly understood only when placed in broader political, social, cultural, and economic context. But they deny that the justices are simply behaving like other political actors when they hand down decisions influenced by this broader contextual reality. This persuasive work is for anyone seeking to understand both the work of the court and the nature of this "new institutionalism." Recommended especially for academic libraries and advanced courses in public law.AStephen K. Shaw, Northwest Nazarene Coll., Nampa, IDCopyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.