Do any of the measures taken by the Bush administration in the war on terrorism infringe upon personal liberties? If so, which ones strike you as the most serious infringements?

Explain the (potential) incompatibility of the establishment and free exercise clauses of the First Amendment. When are these clauses most likely to conflict? How have such conflicts been handled by the Supreme Court in the past? How would you resolve such conflicts?

Discuss the history of gay rights in the American legal system. What rights and protections do gays and lesbians enjoy? What rights and protections have they historically been denied? How would a legal system constructed by you treat gay rights (recall that you system should also fit within the framework of the Constitution)?

What is the likelihood of a woman being elected president in the near future? What are the principal obstacles a female candidate faces in seeking high political office? If a Muslim country like Pakistan could elect a female head of state (the late-Benazir Bhutto), why have no women successfully run for high office in the United States? What does that comparison say about gender politics in the United States?

Based on what you have learned in this course, what is the nature of the financial problems facing the Social Security trust fund?  What are some possible remedies to the (seemingly) impending financial crisis?

Describe the historical, political, and economic implications of the policy of “containment.” Was containment successful? Why or why not?