Gerrymandering is (nearly) universally condemned in American politics. Write a thoughtful essay that points to the subtleties and nuances in districting that might place the practice in more favorable light. Your essay should, inter alia, (1) define gerrymandering, (2) discuss how we know if a district/state is gerrymandered, (3) address the question of whether gerrymandering is *always* bad and, if not, identify circumstances when the practice might be defensible. Note: I am not asking you to write an essay that argues that gerrymandering is good. I am asking you to assess arguments about gerrymandering that are often presented in strong and absolute terms, and present cautions and caveats that should be part of any discussion of districting.

Also these other readings

Jessica Ring Amunson “How Redistricting Became a Technological Arms Race” The Atlantic October 28, 2017.

Jay Dow “Gerrymandering and Gill in Constitutional Perspective” Starting Points December 11, 2017 (http://startingpointsjournal.com/author/jay-dow/)

Veith v. Jubelirer 541 US 267 (2004). Read Case summary and listen to 12/10/2003 oral arguments and opinion announcement at https://www.oyez.org/cases/2003/02- 1580

Gill v. Whitford 2017. Read case summary and listen to oral arguments athttps://www.oyez.org/cases/2017/16-1161