A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.
The United States is in a fairly unique situation in the world, in which gun ownership is not only common but legally enshrined in a founding document. Guns are used for sport and hunting, as collectible items, for law enforcement and personal protection, but also frequently as tools for assault, homicides and mass murder, and suicide. Proponents of gun control seek to limit these latter negative impacts of guns by making purchases more restricted and deliberative, while advocates for gun ownership lean on the "shall not be infringed" phrasing to push back on those limits.
| General Concepts | Specific Aspects | Related Issues |
|---|---|---|
| Second Amendment | Right to bear arms | see also: state laws, ordinances |
| Racism and gun laws | ||
| Gun control | Licensing | |
| Background checks | ||
| Gun-free zones | ||
| Campus carry | ||
| Concealed carry, open carry, permitless carry | ||
| Types of guns, gun parts |
Assault rifles, hunting rifles, handguns Fully automatic, semi-automatic 3D-printed guns |
|
| Purchases |
Gun shows Private sales |
|
| Storing guns |
Gun safes Biometrics |
|
| Gun violence | Mass shootings | |
| School shootings |
armed teachers active shooter drills clear backpack policies gun-free zones |
|
| Suicides, homicides | accidental deaths | |
| Uses of Guns | Self-defense |
Stand Your Ground laws Castle Doctrine |
| Sports |
Hunting Target shooting |
|
| Collectibles | Historical memorabilia | |
| Violence, crime, warfare |
If you know a specific collection has what you need, or if you're struggling to narrow a search from the search bar above, try one of these.
Gun Control in the United States
by
This book offers concise, understandable coverage of all aspects of the issue, including incidence of gun violence; gun control; gun rights; government regulation, legislation, and court decisions; gun organizations (for gun control and for gun rights); gun enthusiast subcultures--for example, hunters, target shooters, and collectors; and U.S. attitudes toward guns. Many of the covered topics are placed in historical and cross-cultural perspective.
The Politics of Gun Control (7th ed.)
by
The seventh edition provides the reader with up-to-date data and coverage of gun ownership, gun deaths, school shootings, border patrols and new topics including social media, stand-your-ground laws, magazine regulation, and shooting-related mental health initiatives. Spitzer has long been a recognized even-handed authority on gun control and gun policy.
Weapon of Choice: Fighting Gun Violence While Respecting Gun Rights
by
Ayres and Vars identify ten policies that can be adopted at the state level as decentralized gun control to supposedly reduce the number of gun-related deaths without affecting the rights of gun owners. For example, Donna's Law, a voluntary program whereby individuals can choose to restrict their ability to purchase or possess firearms, can significantly decrease suicide rates.
Gunslinging Justice: The American Culture of Gun Violence in Westerns and the Law
by
This book is a cultural history of the interplay between the Western genre and American gun rights and legal paradigms. From muskets in the hands of landed gentry opposing tyrannical government to hidden pistols kept to ward off potential attackers, the historical development of entwined legal and cultural discourses has sanctified the use of gun violence by private citizens and specified the conditions under which such violence may be legally justified. Gunslinging justice explores how the Western genre has imagined new justifications for gun violence which American law seems ever-eager to adopt.
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Available for the 2025–26 academic year as a pilot, so explore the resource and share your thoughts; fill out the feedback form.
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First published: March 2024
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