Syllabus for PLAP 424: The Presidency, Civil Liberties and the War on Terror
The University of Virginia
Spring Semester, 2008
Prof. James S. Todd
Phone: 520-299-1328

Course Description: This seminar will explore the problems posed by the use of power by the executive 
branch of American government in emergency situations. The list of topics below strongly reflects my belief that 
we can get a better perspective on contemporary problems by exploring both founders intent and historical precedent.
A large part of the course will be the research papers of those of you who take it. I encourage you to pick one 
of the historic or contemporary topics below for your research (but feel free to propose other topics to me). 

Texts: Only one textbook is required for the course: "Perilous Times: Free Speech in Wartime," by Geoffrey R. 
Stone,  I will suggest readings for each topic, however, and I expect every one of you to spend several hours 
in the University libraries each week preparing for the class. 

Research Papers: Every student will be expected to write a 15 to 20 page paper on a subject relevant to the class. 
Students must confer with me before settling on their topic and do so during the month of February.  Topics should 
be related in some way to the use or abuse of executive power broadly construed and should not simply be a 
rehashing of material covered in detail in class. I would like each of you to produce a tentative outline of your 
topic, with a list of some of the sources you will use, at our last February class meeting (the 28th). You will 
each be expected to lead a discussion of your paper topic at one of the classes starting right after spring 
break. Papers are due by 3 p.m., Monday, April 28th.

Grades: Grades in the class will be allotted on the following basis: class participation, 25%; term paper, 35%, 
and final exam, 40$. The class participation grade will be based on your involvement in and contributions to  
weekly class discussions (poor attendance could lower that grade) and your class presentation of your research 
paper. 


Schedule of topics:

January 17: Introduction to course; discussion of possible term paper topics

January 24: The Founders and the Presidency; debates at the constitutional convention; Federalist and 
Antifederalist writings; John Locke and prerogative power.
	Assignment: Consult Madison's notes on the Constitutional Convention

January 31: The early presidents: Washington, Adams, and Jefferson. The Alien and Sedition Acts; Trials; 
Jefferson and the Barbary Coast pirates; the Louisiana purchase.
	Assignment: Stone, Chapter I

February 7th: Lincoln and the Civil War; suspension of habeas corpus; the Emancipation Proclamation; Suppression 
of freedom of speech and of the press.
	Assignment: Stone, Chapter II

February 14th: Woodrow Wilson and World War I; the Espionage Act of 1917; the wartime propaganda machine; the Red 
Scare; formation of the FBI; and abuses of the Department of Justice.
	Assignment: Stone, Chapter III

February 21st: FDR and World War II; internment of Japanese Americans and others
	Assignment: Stone, Chapter IV
	U.S. v. Curtiss-Wright Export Corp. (1936)
	Ex Parte Quirin (1942)
	Korematsu v. U.S. (1944)
	Youngstown Sheet & Tube Co. v, Sawyer (1952)

February 28th: The Truman and  Eisenhower administrations and the CIA; HUAC, Joseph McCarthy and the 1950's red 
	scare; the Smith Act
	Assignment: Stone, Chapter V
	Term Paper topics should be selected by this point and a brief preliminary outline and bibliography 
	turned in.
	Johnson v. Eisentrager
	Youngstown Sheet & Tube Co. v. Sawyer
	Dennis v. U.S.	

[Spring break (library research period) :)]

March 13th: The Imperial Presidency: Kennedy, Johnson, and Nixon, the Viet Nam War, and the protests. 
The Bay of Pigs; the Cuban Missile Crisis; the Gulf of Tonkin Resolutions; the War Powers Resolution 
	Assignment: Stone, Chapter VI

March 20th: Watergate and the Articles of Impeachment against Nixon
	Assignment: TBA
 
March 27th and April 3rd: the Reagan administration and the reassertion of executive power; Iran-Contra; Bush I 
and the first Iraq war; the Clinton impeachment and claims of executive privilege
	Assignment: TBA

April 10, 17, and 24: Bush II, 9/11, and the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq; the Patriot 
Act and civil liberties; enemy combatants, Guantanamo, and military tribunals; Vice President Cheney 
and executive privilege.
	Assignment: TBA

April 28th: Term papers due during office hours in Cabell B024. 

Tuesday, May 6th: Final Examination, 9:00 to 12:00, in Cabell 320
Wednesday, MAy 7th: Make-up Exam, 9:00-12:00 in Cabell 226