Dr. Ellis West
Professor of Political Science
202-I Weinstein Hall
Office: (804) 289-8536
Fax: (804) 284-6833
Teaching and Research:
Political Theory
Constitutional Law
Religion and Government
Education:
Ph.D., Emory University
M.A., Emory University
B.A., University of Richmond
Selected Publications:
"Due Process," "Establishment of Religion and Free Excercise Clauses," Everson v. Board of Education, 330 US 1 (1947)," "Religions Testes for Office holding (Article 6 Cl. 3)," "State Action Doctrine," and "United States v. Seeger, 380 US 163 (1965)." In Enclycopedia of American Civil Liberties. 3 vols. Ed. Paul Finkelman. N.Y.: Routledge, 2006.
"Some Proposed Guidelines for Advocacy in the Classroom." PS: Political Science & Poiltics, 31 (Dec. (1998): 805-07.
"The Right to Religion-Based Exemptions in Early America: The Case of Conscientious Objectors to Conscription," Journal of Law & Religion, 10 (1993-94): 367-401.
"The Case Against a Right to Religion-Based Exemptions." Notre Dame Journal of Law, Ethics, and Public Policy, 4 (1990): 591-638.
"Roger Williams on the Limits of Religious Liberty.": In The Annual of the Society of Christian Ethincs, 1988. Ed. D. M Yeager. Washington: Georgetown University Press, 1988, 133-60.
"The Free Exercise Clause and the Internal Revenue Code's Restriction on the Political Activity of Tax-Exempt Organizations." Wake Forest Law Review, 21 (1986): 395-429.
"The Supreme Court and Religious Liberty in the Public Schools." Journal of Church and State, 25(Winter 1983): 87-112.
"A Proposed Neutral Definition of Civil Religion," Journal of Church and Sate, 22 (Winter 1980): 23-40.
"Justice Tom Clark & American Church-State Law," Journal of Persbyterian History, 54 (Winter 1976): 387-404.
Academic and Professional Activities:
American Political Science Association
American Association of University Professors
Book and Manuscript Reviewer
Consultant on Church-State Issues in Virginia
University Faculty Council, University of Richmond
Environmental Studies Committee, University of Richmond
Presentations:
"Do the Religion Clauses of the First Amendment Guarentee States' Rights? The Evidence from the First Few Deades after their Drafting." Annual Meeting of the Midwest Political Science Association, Chicago, IL, April 7-10, 2005.
"The Substantive Meaning of the Free Exercise Clause at the End of the Eighteenth Century." Annual Meeting of the American Political Sciene Association, Atlanta, GA, Sept. 2-5, 1999.
" Do the Religion Clausesof the First Amendment Have any Substantive Meaning? The View of the Anti-federalists." Annual Meeting of the Midwest Political Science Association, Chicago, IL, April 15-17, 1999.
"In Defense of Orginalism as Applied to teh Free Exercise of Religion Clause." Annual Meeting of Southwestern Political Science Association, Corpus Christi, TX, March 18-21, 1998.
"Proposed Limits on Advocacy in the Classroom." Annual Meeting of the Midwest Political Science Association, Chicago IL, April 10-12, 1997.
"The Drafting and Wording of the Free Exercise Clause." Annual Meeting of the Southern Political Science Association, Tampa, FL, November 1-4, 1995.
"In Defense of Oregon v. Smith. "Annual Meeting of the Society of Christian Ethics, Chicago, IL, January 7-9, 1994.
"The Right to Religion-Based Exemptions in Early America." Annual Meeting of Southwestern Political Science Association, Austin, TX, March 18-21, 1992.
"The Original Meaning of Free Exercise of Religion: The Free Exercise Clauses in the First State Constitutions." Conference on the Bill of Rights in a Bicentennial Perspective, Louisiana State University in Shreveport, Shreveport, LA, September 19-20, 1991.
"The Case Against Church Autonomy as a Constitutional Right." Conference on Religion Clauses of First Amendment, University of Notre Dame Law School, South Bend, IN, March 30-April 1, 1989.
"Roger Williams, Isaac Backus, and John Leland on the Limist of Religious Liberty." Annual Meeting of the Society of Christian Ethics, Duke University, January 15-17, 1988.
"The Founding Fathers and the Scope of Religious Liberty." Annual Meeting of Midwest Political Science Association, Chicago, IL, April 9-11, 1987.
"The First Amendment and the Political Acgtivity of Religious Groups." Conference of Religion and Political Activism, University of Southern Mississippi, April 3-4, 1984.
"Religious Liberty and the Supreme Court." Conference on Religious Liberty and the Public Schools (sponsered by A.C.L.U of Georgia et al.), Atlanta, GA, February 19, 1980.
"Civil Religion and the Problem of Idolatry." Institute for Ecumencial and Cultural Research, St. John's University, April 10, 1977.
Awards:
Research Grant from Earhart Foundation, 1998
Professor of the Year Award, 2005-06, UR Chapter of Omicron Delta Kappa
Faculty Member of the Year Award, 2005-06, Richmond College Student Gov't Association
Distinguished Educator Award, University of Richmond, 1991
Fellow, National Endowment for Humanities Summer Seminar for College Teachers, 1981
Fellow, Institute for Ecumenical and Cultural Research, St. John's University, Collegeville, MN 1976-77