The Wonders of Originalism, or It’s Amazing How Often Smart People Latch onto Dumb Ideas – Larry Kramer

The US Constitution is the oldest and most intensely litigated modern constitution in the world, and it has also spawned a most remarkable array of theories on how the Constitution should be interpreted. In this lecture, LSE President Larry Kramer reflects on the issue of constitutional interpretation by focusing on one distinctive theory, that of originalism. Originalism is a style of interpretation that claims that the Constitution has an original meaning which is gleaned from historical analysis and which trumps all other arguments for deciding what a constitutional provision means. Arguing that originalism is an incoherent theory, Kramer explains how and why originalism has become an influential theory only since the 1950s. And in presenting that case, he offers more general insights into the character of constitutions.

Speaker: Professor Larry Kramer, President and Vice Chancellor

Commentator: Justice Goodwin Liu, California Supreme Court

Chair: Andrew Murray, Dean LSE Law School

This seminar will operate on a first-come, first-served basis. This event is not open to the public.