Abortion (Fourth Edition)

This new edition of Abortion: The Supreme Court Decisions includes all of the major Supreme Court decisions on abortion since the 1960s—as well as many majority, dissenting, and plurality opinions—carefully edited for use by researchers, journalists, and teachers in a variety of disciplines.

“Abortion: The Supreme Court Decisions has long been an invaluable resource for understanding the contested status of abortion in American law. Updated to bring the narrative to its cataclysmic conclusion in the Dobbs decision of June 2022, this new edition will prove even more essential following the Supreme Court’s repudiation of a half century of precedent.”
—Linda Greenhouse, Yale University

“In Dobbs v. Jackson (2022), the Supreme Court ended the constitutional right to abortion in the United States. Reproductive rights that seemed settled are now subject to change in more than fifty jurisdictions, including a Court that may not have had its last word on the subject. Fortunately for students and scholars alike, Shapiro and Steinmetz have produced an up-to-the-minute guide to the constitutional law of abortion. Their explanations of the legal, historical, philosophical, and political contexts of abortion law are beautifully written, guiding the reader through well-selected cases with clarity.”
—Elisabeth Ellis, University of Otago, New Zealand

“The issue of a right to abortion (alternatively, a right to life) has roiled American politics and society for decades, including in arenas that seem to range far from the topic itself. So, it is essential to understand the judicial decisions that shape Americans’ choices. Abortion has encouraged this understanding through several editions—and the new fourth edition enables us to make sense of recent stunning decisions and dissents. All Americans should read this book.”
—Jennifer L. Hochschild, Harvard University

About the Authors:

Ian Shapiro is Sterling Professor of Political Science and Global Affairs at Yale University.
Alicia Steinmetz is Assistant Professor of Politics and International Relations at Florida International University.