Kathleen Sullivan

Kathleen M. Sullivan is Stanley Morrison Professor of Law at Stanford University.

Recent Articles

State of the Debate: Defining Democracy Down

Must the Catholic Church admit women as priests? Must families with children or pets be allowed to live in every homeowners' association? These questions are even more complicated than they first appear.

In a democracy, we are supposed to treat each other as equals and with mutual respect. Does that mean that the Catholic Church must admit women as priests? Must families with children or pets be allowed to live in every homeowners' association? Should the Ku Klux Klan have to include black nationalists as members, or the NAACP white racists? How far down into our associational life should democratic values and processes extend? Constitutional freedoms of speech, religion, and association provide some protection from state efforts to make every private group look and act like America. But should we cultivate in our political culture even more freedom for illiberal groups than the Constitution requires?

Constitutional Amendmentitis

The rash of amendments being proposed by Republicans has profound -- and dangerous -- implications for our system of government.