Political Science Professor Wins Book Award

Assistant Professor of Political Science Robert J. Hume, Ph.D., has won the 2010 Alpha Sigma Nu Book Award for his book, "How Courts Impact Federal Administrative Behavior" (Routledge-Taylor & Francis, 2009).

Hume was one of only four winners in the professional studies category, out of 42 entries from 16 Jesuit institutions. The awards are given annually by the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities, and the Alpha Sigma Nu Honor Society.

"For legal scholars and politicians who are interested in the 'art of the possible,' and ordinary citizens who care about persuasive writing, this book might very well be considered required reading," said one of the judges, in part.

"I am thrilled to win a national book award," said Hume, "but I take special pride in being recognized by a Jesuit honor society at the national level."

Hume is a graduate of the College of the Holy Cross. He received his M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Virginia in 2003, and came to Fordham in 2005. His teaching and research interests are in the areas of constitutional law, the judicial process, and public administration, with particular emphasis on the implementation of court decisions.

-- Syd Steinhardt

Are There Too Many Judges on the Supreme Court?

Check out the Fordham University American Studies blog:

Are There Too Many Judges on the Supreme Court?
Posted by Robert J. Hume
I want to thank Professor Hendler for his warm welcome and the invitation to post on this blog. It really is an exciting time to be studying the Supreme Court.

I want to elaborate on a few points from my San Francisco Chronicle article, which Professor Hendler posted below. As a political scientist, my primary interest is not so much in who President Obama should be appointing to the Supreme Court, but in what influence different types of nominees are likely to have on the Court.

For example, right now we have an unusual circumstance in which all nine Supreme Court justices (including Justice Stevens) was a sitting federal judge at the time of appointment. As a political scientist, I want to know what happens (if anything) when there is so little diversity in the professional qualifications of the justices. Would it matter if President Obama appointed another sitting federal judge, instead of someone from the political branches of government? In previous decades, presidents used to seriously consider governors, senators, and even former presidents for the Court. Now it has become much less common.

For the rest of the entry, see: "Are There Too Many Judges on the Supreme Court?"