Constitution Center

Celebrate America’s 250th birthday by honoring the text that started it all. Later today, you can tune in for a simultaneous nationwide reading of the Declaration of Independence. Link here: hawaiiamerica250.org/reading-locati…

Our Faculty Director, @shbarclay, will join a panel of constitutional scholars for a webinar hosted by the Wake Forest University School of Divinity on July 9, 2026. The webinar will review the religious freedom issues addressed by the U.S. Supreme Court this term, including Landor v. Louisiana Department of Corrections and Mirabelli v. Bonta. Panelists with diverse viewpoints will discuss the Court's jurisprudence in this area, including significant changes and trends, as well as the meaning, merits, and impact of its decisions. The panel will also share perspectives on church-state issues the Court may address in its upcoming term, including St. Mary's Catholic Parish v. Roy and Nathan v. Alamo Heights Independent School District. We encourage you to register and join this important conversation on religious freedom in American law at: events.zoom.us/ev/ArK1JYC5_um…

Friends, I'm at @ICON__S 2026 in Dublin this week, speaking on two different panels on Tuesday, June 30th. Panel 5.04, organized by Prof. Nick Barber @UniofOxford, starts at 9:45, and I'll discuss the role of group action within democratic constitutional systems. Panel 8.41, organized by @PiaChible, is on constitutional interpretation. I'll discuss my forthcoming paper, Normativity and Discretion. If you're here in Dublin and would like to meet up, please let me know!

What strategies allow constitutional courts to protect democracy in complex political environments? Discover the answers in "Judging for Democracy: Principles and Strategies in Hybrid Regimes" by Julius Yam, just released by Cambridge University Press. While this volume provides vital frameworks for the legal community, it also stands as a lasting contribution to constitutional law from Dr. Yam, an outstanding young scholar who passed away in 2024. Read the full volume here: cambridge.org/core/books/jud…

Georgetown Law Dean Emeritus William M. Treanor is featured in "The American Experiment" on Netflix. As the Agnes Williams Sesquicentennial Professor of Constitutional Law and Constitutional History and one of our Resident Scholars, he joins a broad range of experts to examine the origins of our republic. Through a faithful commitment to the Constitution's original text and history, this 5-part series explores how we safeguard the future of American democracy. Stream it today: netflix.com/title/81930567

The 2026 Originalism Summer Seminar concluded yesterday with a visit to the Supreme Court of the United States. Our participants had the extraordinary opportunity to experience the halls where constitutional history is made every day. This visit served as the perfect bookend to our program, allowing our cohort to reflect on the practical application of the theories discussed throughout the week.

@JesusOseteDOJ It was an honor to have you join us!

It was an honor to speak today at Georgetown’s Center for the Constitution Originalism Summer Seminar — an event I had the privilege of attending just a short time ago. I had a great time speaking to such impressive law students. The future is bright, America! 🇺🇸

An unforgettable evening for our 2026 participants! Last night, we gathered at the National Archives for the Thomas M. Cooley Gala to celebrate a week of rigorous scholarship. Attendees were treated to a distinguished judicial lecture from Judge Elizabeth L. Branch, one of the many highlights of the night. Congratulations to Zaakir Tameez on winning this year's book award for Charles Sumner: Conscience of a Nation. This special event brought our cohort together to connect and celebrate surrounded by the nation's founding documents.

The 2026 Originalism Bootcamp is officially underway! We are honored to host Cass Sunstein, Jack Balkin, Stephen Sachs, and many other brilliant minds for a week of rigorous constitutional study. Our impressive cohort of over 80 students is already diving into the complexities of interpretation and original meaning. Stay tuned for more updates throughout the week!

Time is almost running out to apply for the Georgetown Center for the Constitution’s Research Fellowship! This is a two-year non-residential fellowship opportunity for early-career and aspiring scholars in constitutional law and theory, featuring monthly workshops, senior-scholar feedback, and an in-person gathering at Georgetown Law on Nov. 19–20. As a reminder, the application deadline is Friday, May 29 at 11:59 ET. Find out more about the fellowship here: law.georgetown.edu/constitution-c… @shbarclay @GeorgetownLaw

We are now accepting applications for the Georgetown Center for the Constitution’s Research Fellowship. This is a two-year non-residential fellowship for early-career and aspiring scholars in constitutional law and theory, featuring monthly workshops, senior-scholar feedback, and an in-person gathering at Georgetown Law on Nov. 19–20. The deadline to apply is Friday, May 29 at 11:59 p.m. EST. For more information, click here: law.georgetown.edu/constitution-c… @shbarclay @GeorgetownLaw

Today Professor @shbarclay will be joining a webinar regarding the leaked Supreme Court memos and the emergency docket at 3pm. If you want to join the conversation, feel free to register at this link: fedsoc.org/events/from-ch…

Day two of our Collective Action and Legal Responsibility conference is officially underway. Our impressive lineup of scholars have been assessing collective action at the intersection of law and philosophy. Looking forward to further conversations today.

Tomorrow morning, the Georgetown Center for the Constitution hosts "Collective Action and Legal Responsibility," a two-day conference focused on how groups act and are held accountable in legal settings. This interdisciplinary gathering explores the intersection of moral philosophy, business ethics, and legal doctrine to examine the nature of group personhood. Our work often involves analyzing how a group of individuals established a lasting legal framework. Because of this, studying collective agency and shared intent is essential to understanding the roots of our legal system. Professor @shbarclay 's contribution, for example, will examine how collective action is relevant to the framing and interpretation of constitutions. Over the next two days, other topics we will explore include: - The moral implications of collective guilt and group accountability. - How shared intention relates to public meaning and constitutional ratification. - The intersection of corporate character and compelled speech. - Collective agency within state administrations and private law. By investigating these themes, we aim to better understand the initial intent behind our legal structures and maintain our commitment to the historical meaning of the law. We’re excited to be joined by impressive scholars such as @BrianBixLawPhil , @DavidLuban, @PiaChible, and many more!