Legislating Morality in America
Subtitle: Debating the Morality of Controversial U.S. Laws and Policies
By: edited by Donald P. Haider-Markel
Edition: 1st ed.
Publisher: ABC-CLIO
Published: 2023
Place of publication: Santa Barbara
Language: eng
Number of pages: 312
ISBN-13: 9798400678233
Subjects: Politics & government
Description: This title undertakes an impartial, authoritative, and in-depth examination of the moral arguments and ideas behind the laws and policies that govern personal, corporate, and government behavior in the United States.  This A-Z encyclopedia surveys the moral arguments that provide the foundation for many of the most important and/or divisive laws, policies, and beliefs that govern modern American society. The work discusses such controversial and important issues as abortion, civil rights, drugs and alcohol, euthanasia, guns, hate crimes, immigration, immunization, natural resource use and protection, prostitution, same-sex marriage, and workplace laws.   In the process of surveying historical and current beliefs about appropriate legislative responses to these issues, this work will help readers to understand how conservative and liberal conceptions of justice, fairness, and morality are at the center of so many hot-button political and social issues in 21st century America. The essays featured in the volume cover wide-ranging and controversial topics related to constitutional and religious freedoms, crime and punishment, sexuality and reproduction, environmental protection and public health, national security and civil liberties, social welfare programs, and education.
Table of contents: title: Introduction Abortion Alcohol Restrictions Animal Rights and Welfare Border Security and Immigration Civil Rights and Free Speech Climate Change Cloning Death Penalty Disability Discrimination in K-12 Education Driving Under the Influence Drones and Unmanned (Smart) Weapons Systems Drug Use and Policy Economic Inequality Education Energy Production Environmental Protection and Conservation Eugenics Evolution and Creationism Extraordinary Rendition Farming-Livestock Gambling Genetic Engineering Homelessness Homosexuality Illegal/Undocumented Immigration Minimum Wage Obesity Organ Donation Police Use of Force Pornography Poverty and Social Welfare Prayer and Religious Observance Religious Freedom Reproductive Services and Infertility Right to Die/Physician-assisted Suicide Same-Sex Marriage Second Amendment (Right to Bear Arms) Sex Education in Public Schools Sin Taxes Surveillance Terrorism and Counterterrorism Torture and Extreme Interrogation Techniques Transgender Issues Selected Bibliography About the Editor and Contributors Index