The Alaska State Constitution

With only 54 years of existence, the Constitution of the State of Alaska is in its developmental infancy compared to the constitutional history of the rest of the United States. However, having had the benefit of over 300 years, the Alaskan Constitution is a pioneer and model in--among other things--simplicity, coherence, vision and accessibility. The Alaska State Constitutionprovides an outstanding constitutional and historical account of the state's governing charter. In addition to an overview of Alaska's constitutional history, it provides an in-depth, section-by-section analysis of the entire constitution, detailing the many significant changes that have been made since its initial drafting. This treatment, along with a table of cases, index, and bibliography provides an unsurpassed reference guide for students, scholars, and practitioners of Alaska's constitution. The Oxford Commentaries on the State Constitutions of the United Statesis an important new series that reflects a renewed international interest in constitutional history and provides expert insight into each of the 50 state constitutions. Each volume in this innovative series contains a historical overview of the state's constitutional development, a section-by-section analysis of its current constitution, and a comprehensive guide to further research. Under the expert editorship of Professor G. Alan Tarr, Director of the Center on State Constitutional Studies at Rutgers University, this series provides essential reference tools for understanding state constitutional law. Books in the series can be purchased individually or as part of a complete set, giving readers unmatched access to these important political documents.

Dr. Gerald McBeath is Professor at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks. He holds a B.A. in Social Sciences, an M.A. in International Relations from the University of Chicago, and a Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of California at Berkeley. Dr. McBeath previously taught at Rutgers College and the City University of New York. His most recent publications include Education Reform in the American States, The Political Economy of Oil in Alaska and Environmental Change and Food Security in China.