The First Amendment

Spring Semester 2006

Prof. Jack M. Balkin

 

Note: All references to page numbers refer to Stone, Seidman, Sunstein, Tushnet and Karlan, The First Amendment (2d ed. 2003).

 

Part I-- Introduction

 

1. Introduction: Early History of the First Amendment

2. Seditious Advocacy and True Threats

3. Disclosure of Confidential and Dangerous Information

4. Vagueness, Overbreadth, and Prior Restraint

5. What is Speech?

6. Speakers and Conduits: Mass Media and Internet Regulation

 
Part II-- Regulation of Content

 

7. Fighting Words and the Hostile Audience

8. Defamation and Privacy

A. Defamation

B. Privacy

9. Pornography and Obscenity

A. Obscenity and Child Pornography

B. Secondary Effects and Zoning of Sexually Explicit Expression

10. Offensive and Indecent Speech

A. Captive Audiences

B. Projection of Children

11. Group Libel. Racist Speech and Workplace Harassment

12. Commercial Speech

 

Part III-- Regulation of Access and Manner of Expression

 

13. Time, Place and Manner Regulation

14. The Public Forum

15. Access to Government Property-- Nonpublic forums

16. Freedom of the Press

17. Intellectual Property

18. Campaign Finance

 
Part IV-- The First Amendment in the Welfare State

 

19. Government Subsidies to Speech and Government Speech

20. Speech in the Military, Schools and Prisons

21. Government Employment

22. Freedom of Association

A. Associational Formation

B. Compelled Affirmation of Belief

C. Anonymity

D. Government Benefits and Licenses

E. Government Investigations

 

 

 

Part V-- Religious Liberty

 

23. The Establishment Clause-- School Prayer, Public Displays and De Facto Establishments

24. Government Aid to Religious Institutions

25. The Free Exercise Clause

26. Permissible Accommodations of Religion

 

 

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