Civil Liberties and the State

Many ways of life have changed following the attacks of 9/11. Part of ABC-CLIO's "Documentary and Reference Guides" series, this set presents a review of historical documents displaying how liberties have been granted or withheld in light of the tension between our desires for security and wish for liberty. Through excerpts of historical documents such as executive orders, congressional legislation, and judicial decision, the seven-chapter organization devised by Latimer (political science, SUNY Cortland) reviews how the government worked to implement or oppose legislation restricting people's rights. Each document is followed by a brief author's analysis of the importance of the material, touching on topics such as what consequences the documents had, why they were created, and whether they are still in effect. Chapters 1 and 2 present documents from U.S. history as well as influential British documents such as the Magna Charta and the British Bill of Rights. Chapters 3 and 4 cover federal actions in both world wars and the Cold War. Chapters 5 and 6 cover federal actions following 9/11. Chapter 7 contains excerpts from political organizations including the Republican and Democratic National Committees expressing their views on liberties. BOTTOM LINE While useful for researchers looking for pertinent excerpts, this lacks in-depth analysis of the materials, most of which can be easily located online in full. Readers looking for more debate about the subject may be interested in Civil Liberties (2009), part of Gale/Greenhaven's "Opposing Viewpoints" series.—James Langan, Univ. of Pittsburgh at Johnstown