The Federalist Papers were intended to support the ratification of the Constitution and became the blueprint for American government. Today, courts still cite Publius’ writings when deciding some of the most consequential constitutional questions. Two hundred and fifty years later, as we celebrate the anniversary of the nation’s Founding, a question arises: Were the Federalists right? Did the Constitution’s structure succeed in limiting power? Have the institutions of federalism, separation of powers, and factional competition worked as intended?
On October 2, the Harvard Journal of Law & Public Policy will host a symposium, co-sponsored with Pacific Legal Foundation, to convene scholars, judges, and litigators to test Publius’ vision against today’s reality.
We’ll kick off the day with our keynote. Pacific Legal Foundation’s Anastasia Boden will moderate a discussion featuring the Honorable Jennifer Mascott of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, University of California, Berkeley School of Law’s Amanda Tyler, and Georgetown University Law Center’s Stephanie Barclay. Lunch and two more panels will follow.
