Professor Jacob Charles, "Firearms Law and Scholarship Beyond Bullets and Bodies" -- Annual Review of Law and Social Science

Professor Jacob D. Charles's article, "Firearms Law and Scholarship Beyond Bullets and Bodies," is published in the Annual Review of Law and Social Science. The article, co-written with Joseph Blocher and Darrell A. H. Miller, considers the importance of academic research to court rulings on the Second Amendment and firearms law.

Abstract of "Firearms Law and Scholarship Beyond Bullets and Bodies"

Academic work is increasingly important to court rulings on the Second Amendment and firearms law more generally. This article highlights two recent trends in social science research that supplement the traditional focus on guns and physical harm. The first strand of research focuses on the changing ways that gun owners connect with firearms, with personal security, status, identity, and cultural markers being key reasons people offer for possessing firearms. The second strand focuses on broadening our understanding of the impact of guns on the public sphere beyond just physical safety. This research surfaces the ways that guns can create fear, intimidation, and social trauma; deter civic participation and the exercise of constitutional rights; and further entrench racial inequality.

The article may be found at Annual Review of Law and Social Science (registration may be required)