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Comparative Constitutions

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lightbulbAbout this topic
Comparative Constitutions is the study of the similarities and differences among various national constitutions. It involves analyzing constitutional frameworks, principles, and practices to understand how different legal systems address governance, rights, and the rule of law, thereby providing insights into the functioning and evolution of constitutional democracy globally.
lightbulbAbout this topic
Comparative Constitutions is the study of the similarities and differences among various national constitutions. It involves analyzing constitutional frameworks, principles, and practices to understand how different legal systems address governance, rights, and the rule of law, thereby providing insights into the functioning and evolution of constitutional democracy globally.

Key research themes

1. How do different conceptions of constitutional legitimacy shape the drafting and functioning of constitutions?

This theme investigates the dual bases of constitutional legitimacy—representational and reason-based—and explores how these conceptions influence constitutional design, evolution, and legitimacy claims across different liberal democracies. It matters because legitimacy underpins constitutional authority and compliance, affecting political stability and public trust.

Key finding: This paper identifies two distinct conceptions of constitutional legitimacy: representational legitimacy, grounded in reflecting the citizens' consent or national identity (exemplified by the US Constitution), and... Read more
Key finding: This work critiques simplistic equating of democratic legitimacy with formal electoral procedures or rule of law alone, arguing that democratic self-government is qualitative and dynamic. It stresses that legitimacy must... Read more
Key finding: The authors elucidate that democratic constitution-making involves procedural legitimacy secured by iterative, inclusive deliberation and tests of collective will, rather than a singular 'constitutional moment' or simple... Read more

2. What are the methodological innovations and tools in comparative constitutional research that enhance constitutional drafting and scholarship?

This research area focuses on the practical resources, data frameworks, digital platforms, and methodological rigor that enable systematic comparison, drafting, and analysis of constitutions worldwide. It is vital because institutional designers and scholars require accessible, reliable, and comprehensive tools to inform constitutional innovation and comparative theory.

Key finding: This work presents the Constitute portal, a semantically enabled web-based platform that offers searchable access to over 700 constitutions, tagged by domain experts with over 600 constitutional concepts in an ontology. It... Read more
Key finding: The paper critically argues for incorporating historiographical methods—critical evaluation of sources, contextualization, and understanding narrative construction—into comparative constitutional scholarship to better handle... Read more
Key finding: This chapter identifies language-related challenges in comparative constitutional research, including problems arising from literal and legal-conceptual translation, multilingual fragmentation, and audience expectations. It... Read more

3. How do cultural dimensions and identity shape constitutional structures and reforms across different nations?

This theme explores how ingrained cultural traits—such as individualism-collectivism, uncertainty avoidance, and power distance—influence constitutional design, the evolution of rights, institutional arrangements, and reforms. Understanding this nexus matters for explaining persistent constitutional differences and for framing localized reform efforts informed by cultural context.

Key finding: This essay discusses how globalization and increasing interconnectedness influence constitutionalism by creating a 'global constitutional space' where local constitutional traditions interact with global norms and ideas. It... Read more
Key finding: This chapter analyzes European constitutionalism through a perspectivist lens, showing how legal culture and constitutional traditions shape differing approaches to constitutional questions within the EU and among member... Read more

All papers in Comparative Constitutions

As part of the Caribbean wave of constitutional review processes, Barbados has released the final report of its Constitutional Reform Commission. While the Commission's proposals aim to refine aspects of the current constitutional and... more
The main objective of this paper is to explore how politics was crucially influenced on change of the spiritual behavior of the Maha Sanga (Bhikku) towards political practices in the pre and postindependence society in Sri Lanka. The... more
La actual discusión sobre un eventual reemplazo constitucional en Chile liderada por candidatos presidenciales y columnistas de diversas áreas ha estado caracterizada por una descripción sesgada y poco informada sobre la experiencia... more
Sistemul politic american: evolutii constitutionale, tipul de regim politic, relatii executiv-legislativ, sistem de partide, sistem electoral
De-a lungul timpului, tarile europene si non-europene si-au manifestat dorinta de a avea o lege fundamentala cu scopul de a se ghida pe teritoriul tarii de origine. Astfel, a aparut termenul de ,,Constitutie'' si definitia sa, care spune... more
In aceasta lucrare imi propun sa prezint principalele deosebiri sau asemanari dintre Constitutiile a trei state democratice Europene, dar nu inainte de a define termenii centrali ai acestei teme.
In aceasta analiza o sa urmaresc seful statului dintr-un regat, mai exact cum este ales, ce responsabilitati, atributii, prerogative are. Statele pe care o sa le analizez sunt Spania, Suedia, Belgia si Danemarca. Textul de baza o sa fie... more
Atributii si indatoriri. Punerea si revocarea din functie in Romania, Marea Britanie si Germania (sau cancelar) Ca o introducere pentru cele 3 tari alese: In Romania: Putem spune in totalitatea termenului de ROMANIA din anul 1918, cand a... more
De-a lungul timpului, tarile europene si non-europene si-au manifestat dorinta de a avea o lege fundamentala cu scopul de a se ghida pe teritoriul tarii de origine. Astfel, a aparut termenul de ,,Constitutie'' si definitia sa, care spune... more
In cadrul acestui referat imi propun investigarea rolului executivului, prin utilizarea analizei comparate in 4 structuri de stat diferite: Romania, Marea Britanie, Franta si Italia. Prin intermediul acestuia intentionez sa aprofundez... more
Sistemul administrativ din Marea Britanie 1. Statul Regatul Unit al Marii Britanii este format din: Marea Britanie, care, la rândul ei, se compune din: Anglia, Scoţia, Ţara Galilor şi Irlanda de Nord. Statul este unitar dar are câteva... more
Materialul de faţă este produs de Asociaţia Pro Democraţia în cadrul proiectului "Dezbateri privind reforma constituţională" sprijinit de Fundaţia Hanns Seidel. Opiniile prezentate în acest material nu reflectă poziţia finanţatorului.
The word ‘democracy’ too often has been used to justify actions which seriously contradict the democratic ideal. We wish to help restore a real, practical meaning – and value – to the word and the concept of ‘democracy’ because it is... more
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