Field:
    Political Theory and American Politics

Dissertation Title:
    The Right to Privacy: Individual Liberty, Property Interests and the Dual System of Privacy Rights in the United States

Committee:
    Carole Pateman, (co-chair), Andrew Sabl, (co-chair), Lynn Vavreck, Karen Orren, and Clyde Spillenger

Date of Completion:
    August 2007

Contact Information:
    Mary McThomas
    UCLA Political Science Department
    4289 Bunche Hall
    Los Angeles, California 90095-1472
    Phone: 310-825-4331
    Fax: 310-825-0778

Curriculum Vitae:
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Dissertation Summary:
    I examine the right to privacy with a focus on how the U.S. Courts and the American public understand privacy issues differently depending on the type of privacy involved, and how these understandings diverge from theoretical conceptions of privacy. I argue that the distinguishing feature that gives us the greatest foothold into understanding the right to privacy in the United States is whether the activity or protection being claimed is justified in terms of property or liberty. I argue that these two types of privacy, decisional and proprietary privacy, are treated differently, giving greater or lesser protection to individuals based on the type of privacy involved. To examine the juridical differences between the two categories for both speed of evolution as well as the form of arguments used, I have tracked higher court cases in two subject areas: marital privacy (as a representative of the decisional privacy strain) and conversational privacy (as a representative of the proprietary privacy strain). To assess public opinion regarding different types of privacy rights, I created and conducted an original survey.

Research Interests:
    I am interested in pursuing normative questions regarding law and society such as the limits of individual rights in a pluralistic democracy, the role of positive and negative liberties in American constitutional development, and the relationship between law and social norms.

Teaching Interests:
    I have taught courses in both Political Theory and American Politics. I am most interested in teaching classes on American Political Thought, Modern or Social Thought, Women and Politics, the Supreme Court, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, and Political Theory survey courses.