Political Science 101: Home

Shelby County, Ala vs. Holder.

Your assignment:

Consider the case of Shelby County vs. Holder. First, explain its connection to the Voter Rights Act, rulings in federal courts, and if some states have modified their voting laws in response and whether you can find evidence that has impacted political participation. Be sure to support your analysis with competing perspectives (ex, majority vs. dissent opinions, reactions from political leaders) and credible evidence (state laws, voting data). Conclude the analysis with your original thoughts on the extent to which this ruling helps or hinders progress toward democratic ideals, given your stated conception of these ideals.

Krista Recommends:

Secondary law sources.

These provide an overview of the court case, its progress and decisions, short- and long-term impacts, and other critical analysis.  Sometimes lengthy and sometimes technical, these are still a great resource for research.  At WCU,  Westlaw is the primary database for this!

In Westlaw, also take a look at "Civil Rights Legal Materials and News" (linked on the landing page).

Other secondary sources include databases like Political Science, CQ Researcher, and our newspaper databases.