Above the Law? The Evolution of Emergency Presidential Power: A Talk by Chris Edelson, lecturer in the Department of Political Science, UMass
May 01, 2026 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm ET
Thompson 420, Umass Amherst
From the eighteenth century to the second Trump administration: the evolution of emergency executive authority in the US government
Constitutional scholar and UMass Political Science Lecturer Chris Edelson will be speaking about his new book that focuses on the current US political climate, the appropriate use of and constraints on emergency presidential powers, and how they have become the topic of much heated debate. How did the framers of the Constitution intend to balance emergency powers with limits? How has this balance eroded over time? And why is Donald Trump's presidency so concerning for the future of liberal democracy in the United States?
The lecture is open to the public.