In America many contested political questions are deeply influenced by how we read the Constitution – for example, on issues of gun legislation and abortion. Moreover, Supreme Court Justices have interpreted the same text in very different ways. So, how should we read the Constitution? This debate will feature two professors dialoguing deeply and respectfully about this question.

• Prof. Lee Strang (The Ohio State University) defends the view that we should follow the original meaning of the Constitution.

• By contrast, Prof. Mitch Berman argues (University of Pennsylvania) that we should adopt a living constitution approach that is not necessarily tied to the original meaning of the text.