Listen to Episode 38 of Slate’s Amicus:
Subscribe in iTunes ∙ RSS feed ∙ Download ∙ Play in another tab
Slate Plus members: Get your ad-free podcast feed.
In the week since the sudden death of the larger-than-life Supreme Court justice, there’s been a lot of commentary about Antonin Scalia’s trademark principle of originalism. It’s often taken for granted that originalism is a philosophy that’s inherently conservative. But on this episode of Amicus, legal scholar Akhil Reed Amar—Sterling Professor of Law at Yale—explains why politically, originalism can cut both ways.
Then, we are joined by Rachel Barkow, a professor at NYU Law who clerked for Justice Scalia in the 1997–98 term. Barkow, a self-described Democrat, shares her reflections about why Scalia was such a valuable mentor for her, and why Scalia’s towering legal mind is sure to influence many generations of young lawyers to come.
Transcripts of Amicus are available to Slate Plus members. Consider signing up today! Members get bonus segments, exclusive member-only podcasts, and more. Sign up for a free trial today here.
Please let us know what you think of Amicus. Our email is amicus@slate.com.
Podcast production by Tony Field.
