On Thursday, March 27, Pi Sigma Alpha hosted Dr. David Upham of St. Thomas University College of Law. His visit was co-sponsored by Discourse in Democracy, and the Department of Political Science hosted.
In the morning, Dr. Upham led a seminar for around 20 faculty, staff, and students that focused on the creation of the Fourteenth Amendment. He discussed how the amendment originated, the debates surrounding its ratification, and the effects of its passing.
The seminar set the stage for Dr. Upham’s lecture in the evening, entitled “Taking American Citizenship Seriously and the Recovery of the Fourteenth Amendment.” The lecture shares its name with his newest book, which is set to be published in early 2025. More than 60 faculty, staff, and students attended. Dr. Upham’s lecture centered on the Fourteenth Amendment, particularly Sections 1 and 5. He explored various conflicting interpretations of the amendment and how our understanding of it has changed over time. He discussed the amendment’s role in several high-profile U.S. Supreme Court cases, such as Brown v. Board of Education and McDonald v. City of Chicago.
Dr. David R. Upham is currently an associate professor at the University of St. Thomas College of Law. He received his J.D. from the University of Texas College of Law and his Ph.D. in Politics from the University of Dallas. Dr. Upham has published in a wide variety of journals including The Georgetown University Journal of Law and Public Policy, Perspectives in Political Science, Notre Dame Law Review, and Hastings Constitutional Law Quarterly. His scholarly work has focused on American constitutional history, with a particular focus on the Fourteenth Amendment. His book, Taking American Citizenship Seriously and the Recovery of the Fourteenth Amendment, is scheduled for publication later this spring.
