Internationalism of Justice Harry Blackmun, The

Abstract

This comment is intended to provide a roadmap for closer examination of the Blackmun Papers and to evaluate the sources of internationalism in Justice Blackmun\u27s opinions. An understanding of those sources can in turn inform typologies of internationalism among other Justices, past, present, and future. It seems particularly salient to be discussing the internationalist aspects of Justice Blackmun\u27s legacy today, at a time when the Court is deeply divided on questions of executive power over foreign affairs, the relevance of foreign and international political practices and judicial opinions to constitutional interpretation, and the extent to which decisions of international tribunals are binding on U.S. courts. Justice Blackmun\u27s appeal to the broad interests of the international community and to the universality of human rights echoes throughout these contemporary debates