BC Bookmarks

Boston College is marking the 100th birthday of the late Thomas P. “Tip” O’Neill, Jr., a 1936 alumnus who rose from his modest North Cambridge neighborhood to become of one the most powerful figures in American politics, with a special course titled “Tip O’Neill and the Evolution of American Politics.” O’Neill was a member of Congress for 34 years and the Speaker of the US House of Representatives from 1977 to 1986. Shortly after he retired, he published his memoirs, Man of the House.  He died in 1994 at age 81. The course is being taught by Thomas P. O’Neill Jr. Professor of American Politics R. Shep Melnick, who recently received the 2012 “Lasting Contribution Award” from the Law and Courts Section of the American Political Science Association.  This award is given annually for a book or journal article, 10 years or older, that has made a lasting impression on the field of law and courts. Melnick was honored for his book Between the Lines:  Interpreting Welfare Rights, described as “seminal,” by the award committee which stated:  “Noted for its exhaustive research and incisive analysis, Melnick’s book sets the framework for understanding statutory decision-making by lower federal courts. Between the Lines seamlessly integrates courts into the rest of the political system and has informed both research and teaching within the subfield of courts and law for almost two decades.”