America's founding political commitments were to democracy and the rule of law. Some have described them as the soul and spirit of our nation. But their meanings are contested and open to interpretation. Professor Sarat discusses how the've evolved in American history and assesses the health of the United States today. Does America face an erosion of public faith in long taken-for-granted aspects of our political life? Do we even understand what they really mean? Some believe that the rule of law and democracy are under attack, but could it be this is be a symptom rather than a cause of what some see as our current crisis? 

Austin Sarat is William Nelson Cromwell professor of Jurisprudence and Political Science at Amherst College in Amherst, Massachusetts. He has written, co-written, or edited more than ninety books in the fields of law and political science. Professor Sarat has received the the Stan Wheeler Award for his excellence as a teacher and mentor, awarded by the Law and Society Association.