Amherst professor Austin Sarat argues that the Republican Party has embraced a kind of messianic politics, which divides the world into two categories: those who are “faithful” and those who are “heretics.” Professor Sarat explains why this dualistic division is dangerous and antithetical to democracy.

Amherst professor Austin Sarat and former federal prosecutor Dennis Aftergut comment on the U.S. Supreme Court’s increasing tendency to decide high-profile and far-reaching cases via its “shadow docket”—without oral argument or full briefing. Professor Sarat and Mr. Aftergut point out that recent remarks by Justice Samuel Alito reinforce the view that the Court has a partisan agenda that is increasingly out of step with the beliefs and values of the American people.

Cornell University law professor Joseph Margulies considers whether, as Donald Trump claims, the election is “rigged.” Margulies looks specifically at felon disenfranchisement and finds a close correlation between local Republican control and restrictive approaches to voting.

Marci Hamilton, a Fox Distinguished Scholar in the Program for Research on Religion at the University of Pennsylvania, discusses how the Republican and Democratic platforms deal with child sex abuse. Hamilton reveals that both parties fail to provide adequate support for child sex abuse victims.