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Book: The U.S. Constitution in Five Minutes

Chapter: 6. How Can We Tell What the Constitution Means?

DOI: 10.1558/equinox.43566

Blurb:

Interpreting even our very short constitution is not a simple task. This chapter highlights the problem and explains various strategies for interpreting the constitution (including plain meaning, originalism, and pragmatism), concluding that what the constitution means depends very much on the preferences and choices of those who interpret it.

Chapter Contributors

  • Sara C. Benesh (sbenesh@uwm.edu - sbenesh) 'University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee'