How the Supreme Court claimed supreme power

2026-06-18 · 54 min · 10 entities

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→ discusses History website

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mentioned Society & Culture concept

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evidence rules-v5
Feed category: Society & Culture
mentioned Documentary concept

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evidence rules-v5
Feed category: Documentary
discusses Society & Culture concept

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evidence rules-v5
Feed category: Society & Culture
discusses Documentary concept

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evidence rules-v5
Feed category: Documentary

books 2

mentioned People Themselves: Popular Constitutionalism and Judicial Review book

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author of The People Themselves: Popular Constitutionalism and Judicial Review
mentioned Political Supreme Court book

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author of The Political Supreme Court

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hosted by NPR company

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Feed author/publisher: NPR

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mentioned History website

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evidence rules-v5
Feed category: History
discusses History website

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evidence rules-v5
Feed category: History

Episode description as stored

The Supreme Court's 2025-26 term has been punctuated with some high-stakes cases: birthright citizenship, voting rights, presidential powers and consequential civil rights cases. Some of the most anticipated and significant cases have yet to be decided. As the justices make the final sprint to the end of the term in early July, we take stock of how the Supreme Court evolved from the weakest branch of government to the powerhouse arbiter it is today. This episode originally aired in 2020. Guests: Larry Kramer, former dean of Stanford Law School and author of The People Themselves: Popular Constitutionalism and Judicial Review Rachel Shelden, associate professor of History and director of the George and Ann Richards Civil War Era Center at Penn State University, and author of The Political Supreme Court Lucas Powe Jr., professor of Law and Government at the University of Texas Support shows like Throughline with NPR+. Sign up today at plus.npr.org . See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy