Few concepts are as emotionally and politically charged as freedom. It is the guiding principle of almost all nation states. But the word is hardly dry on paper before the struggle for its application and very definition begins. Over the course of history, freedom has been a living truth for some and a cruel mockery for others. Today, debates on everything from abortion to immigration to gun control are couched in the rhetoric of freedom.

Eric Foner
Eric Foner is one of America's preeminent historians. He is DeWitt Clinton professor of history at Columbia University and author of many books, including the award-winning Reconstruction: America's Unfinished Revolution, Who is an American? and The Story of American Freedom.