Professor Strasser Releases Two Books in Area of Family Law

October 6, 2003

Mark P. Strasser, Trustees Professor of Law at Capital University Law School and nationally known for his research in family law, has released two books on constitutional issues related to same-sex marriages and civil unions — On Same-Sex Marriage, Civil Unions, and the Rule of Law: Constitutional Interpretation at the Crossroads (Praeger Publishers/Greenwood Publishing Group, 2002) and Marriage and Same-Sex Unions: A Debate (Praeger Publishers, 2003), co-edited with Lynn D. Wardle, William C. Duncan and David Orgon Coolidge.

In On Same-Sex Marriages, Civil Unions, and the Rule of Law, Strasser explores the constitutional implications of the recognition or non-recognition of same-sex marriages and civil unions. “In this book I focused on a number of constitutional areas including equal protection, due process, the religion clauses, and the right to travel,” Strasser says. “I also explored some of the implications of Vermont’s recognition of civil unions, both for those who have celebrated such unions and are domiciled in Vermont and for those who live elsewhere.”

Marriage and Same-Sex Unions: A Debate is a compilation of essays and responses from authors around the country, arguing the pros and cons of recognizing same-sex marriages or civil unions. This presentation of essays involving constitutional, historical, family, and political perspectives is unique in that by including both essays and responses, the issues can be fleshed out and clarified to a degree that most compilations are unable to achieve.

According to Strasser, both books are intended for the general public and do not assume that the reader has had legal training. The books would be appropriate as recommended reading for students at either the undergraduate or graduate level. Readers may find the books available in bookstores and public libraries.

Strasser is also the author of The Challenge of Same-Sex Marriage: Federalist Principles and Constitutional Protections (Praeger Publishers/Greenwood Publishing Group, 1999) and Legally Wed: Same-Sex Marriage and the Constitution (Cornell University Press, 1997). He is a former professor of philosophy and taught at Illinois State University, University of Texas at Arlington, and Washington University in St. Louis. A member of Capital University Law School’s faculty since 1993, he teaches Constitutional Law, Torts, Family Law, Jurisprudence, and a seminar on Sexual Diversity and the Law. Strasser is a graduate of Harvard College (B.A.), University of Chicago (M.A. and Ph.D.) and Stanford University (J.D.).