Sandy Levinson has always taken secession arguments seriously. This is, in my eyes, one of his great virtues. There are very few scholars who would be willing to strip away the very heavy baggage attached to the secession question in America and to take a close look at the issue. It’s been almost impossible to treat this question in the abstract. But Sandy is the type of person who doesn’t take the established truth for granted. He’s willing to probe, investigate, and reexamine old questions. I’ve never been Sandy’s student, but I would imagine that he rarely tells his students that there’s no more to say about a particular research topic. He is willing to challenge the prevailing wisdom, and he’s unfailingly encouraged others to do so too. I am grateful for the support he’s given me in this regard.

Citation
Cynthia L. Nicoletti, Why Can’t We Take Secession Seriously?, Balkinization (January 5, 2023).
UVA Law Faculty Affiliations
Cynthia L. Nicoletti