The Southern Turn in Comparative Constitutional Law

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-38
Author(s):  
Philipp Dann ◽  
Michael Riegner ◽  
Maxim Bönnemann
Keyword(s):  
Constitutional Law ◽  
Comparative Law ◽  
Global South ◽  
Methodological Pluralism ◽  
Legal Scholarship ◽  
Comparative Constitutional Law ◽  
Global North ◽  
The Way

This introductory chapter argues for and conceptualizes a ‘Southern turn’ in comparative constitutional law. It takes stock of existing scholarship on the Global South and comparative constitutional law, situates the volume in this context, and seeks to move the debate forward. Its argument has three elements: the first is that the ‘Global South’ has already become a term used productively in various disciplines and in legal scholarship, even though in very different and sometimes under-theorized ways. Secondly, we argue that the ‘Global South’ is a useful concept to capture and understand a constitutional experience that is distinct from, and at the same time deeply entangled with, constitutionalism in the Global North. Thirdly, we contend that the Southern turn implies a specific epistemic, methodological, and institutional sensitivity that has implications for comparative constitutional scholarship as a whole. This sensitivity embraces epistemic reflexivity, methodological pluralism, as well as institutional diversification, collaboration, and ‘slow comparison’ and thus points the way towards an understanding of the discipline as ‘world comparative law’.

Constitutional Democracy and Electoral Commissions: A Reflection from Asia

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Rosalind Dixon ◽  
Mark Tushnet
Keyword(s):  
Sri Lanka ◽  
Constitutional Law ◽  
Global South ◽  
Constitutional Democracy ◽  
Comparative Constitutional Law

This symposium explores the role of “fourth branch” institutions, and specifically the role of independent electoral commissions (IECs) in protecting and promoting constitutional democracy. It does so by focusing on the global South, and Asia in particular. It aims to go beyond the “usual suspects” in comparative constitutional law, and put the constitutional experiences of countries such as Indonesia, Kenya, Myanmar, Malaysia, and Sri Lanka at the centre of a decolonized constitutional project and understanding, supplementing them with an examination of more-often-studied systems such as Australia and India.

How (Not) to Compare?: Not Being Inside, Nor Outside

Global Jurist ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Gürkan Çapar
Keyword(s):  
Interaction Effect ◽  
Constitutional Law ◽  
Comparative Law ◽  
Legal Philosophy ◽  
Constitutional Amendment ◽  
Discursive Analysis ◽  
Comparative Constitutional Law ◽  
New Methodologies ◽  
Points Of View

Abstract Despite the clear clue given by Kim L. Scheppele as to the shortcomings of governance checklists, it is surprising that comparative constitutional lawyers have not yet followed it up. In fact, what Scheppele hinted at is that the methodologies we have used so far fall short of detecting the interaction effect of the particular components; this is why we need new methodologies and new ways of seeing. To address this, this article will incorporate some tools, having already taken hold in legal philosophy, into the methods discussions in comparative constitutional law in particular and comparative law in general. Upon benefiting from the distinction between internal and external points of view and showing how hermeneutical one differs from the others, the article will make a discursive analysis of the 2010 constitutional amendment in Turkey through the lenses of these three points of view.

Epilogue: Gravity (Alfonso Cuarón 2013), Birdman (Alejandro G. Iñárritu 2014), The Revenant (G. Iñárritu 2015) and Crimson Peak (Guillermo Del Toro 2015)

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dolores Tierney
Keyword(s):  
Latin American ◽  
Global South ◽  
Horror Film ◽  
Industrial Complex ◽  
Art Cinema ◽  
American Perspective ◽  
Alfonso Cuaron ◽  
Global North ◽  
The Way

The Epilogue draws together the major arguments of the book in its focus on art cinema realism and the use and manipulation of genres (the Western, the [space] disaster film, the horror film) in some of the recent films by the transnational auteurs: Cuarón’s Gravity, Iñárritu’s Birdman, and The Revenant and del Toro’s Crimson Peak. It looks at the shifting contexts of their production and settings now situated in the ideological, institutional and industrial complex of Hollywood studio filmmaking and located narratologically for the most part in the Global North or off planet. It explores whether it is possible to think of Gravity, Birdman, The Revenant and Crimson Peak as speaking, in the way the book has argued these directors’ previous films speak, from a position rooted in a peripheral, Global South or Latin American perspective.

Introduction

2021 ◽  
pp. 3-30
Author(s):  
Alejandro Linares-Cantillo
Keyword(s):  
Transitional Justice ◽  
Constitutional Law ◽  
Constitutional Court ◽  
Constitutional Courts ◽  
Constitutional Amendments ◽  
Leading Role ◽  
Comparative Constitutional Law ◽  
The Republic

This introductory chapter provides an overview of the twenty essays compiled for the XIII conference of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Colombia, which was held in Bogota in January of 2019. The collection is divided into three thematic parts which illustrate five subjects at the spotlight of comparative constitutional law, in light of the growing circulation and intensification of the idea of constitutionalism. The first part examines the evolving and leading role of constitutional courts in constitutional democracies. The second part allows constitutional experiences speak for themselves and discusses tensions and debates in three topics: (A) the growing trend to judicially enforce 'constitutional unamendability' under the doctrine of 'unconstitutional constitutional amendments'; (B) the idea of 'transformative constitutionalism' in the area of social rights enforcement; and (C) the models of transitional justice and their implementation in the Colombian case. Finally, the third part analyses vertical and horizontal movements of constitutional law doctrines and decisions.

5 How Universal is Comparative Constitutional Law?

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hirschl Ran
Keyword(s):  
Constitutional Law ◽  
Global South ◽  
Common Elements ◽  
Third Way ◽  
Body Of Knowledge ◽  
European Court ◽  
Comparative Constitutional Law ◽  
Unique Nature ◽  
Constitutional System ◽  
Constitutional Pluralism

This chapter addresses issues central to comparative constitutional law’s epistemological and methodological domain. First, the possibility of comparisons of constitutional law and institutions across time and space, notably between “universalists,” who emphasize common elements of legal (and constitutional) systems across time and place, and “particularists” who emphasize the unique nature of any given legal (and constitutional) system. “Third way” alternatives such as constitutional pluralism are also examined. Second, the “global south” critique in comparative constitutional law, or how truly “comparative,” universal, or generalizable are the lessons of a body of knowledge that draws almost exclusively on a small—not necessarily representative—set of frequently studied jurisdictions and court rulings to advance what is portrayed as generic and universally applicable prescriptions. The global south critique poses major challenges to contemporary comparative constitutional inquiry but has its own analytical challenges. Examples include South Africa, India, and the European Court of Human Rights.

Montesquieu, Methodological Pluralism and Comparative Constitutional Law

2009 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 481-500 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lorenzo Zucca
Keyword(s):  
Constitutional Law ◽  
Methodological Pluralism ◽  
Comparative Constitutional Law

Montesquieu's lessons for modern comparative constitutional law – The Spirit of the Laws – The textual bias of normative constitutionalism – The utility of other disciplines to comparative constitutional law – Constitutions as more than mere texts

scholarly journals Funciones secundarias de la Corte Constitucional colombiana: una aproximación a la decisión sobre excusas a los emplazamientos cursados por el Congreso // Colombian Constitutional Court’s ancillary powers: an approa ch to its decisions regarding refusal to attend congress’ hearings

2018 ◽  
Vol 1 (102) ◽  
pp. 373
Author(s):  
Rodrigo González Quintero ◽  
Luis Javier Moreno Ortiz
Keyword(s):  
Judicial Review ◽  
Constitutional Law ◽  
Comparative Law ◽  
Case Law ◽  
Judicial Power ◽  
Review System ◽  
Control Functions ◽  
Constituent Assembly ◽  
Comparative Constitutional Law

Resumen:Este artículo se centra en la poco explorada cuestión las competencias secundarias de la Corte Constitucional colombiana, en especial sobre la competencia de decidir sobre las excusas a los emplazamientos que hace el Congreso en ejercicio de su control político y público. Para este propósito se estudia el origen de esta competencia en la Asamblea Nacional Constituyente, se la analiza en el contexto de otras experiencias constitucionales y se considera,a partir de fuentes teóricas (normativas y doctrinales) y evidencia empírica(estudio de casos), dos hipótesis sobre su naturaleza y alcance, para concluirque se trata de una competencia jurisdiccional, que se concreta en una providencia judicial que hace tránsito a cosa juzgada, y que puede tenerse comouna modalidad especial del control de constitucionalidad.Abstract:This article is focused on the ill studied topic of the Colombian Constitutional Court’s ancillary powers, and especially on its decisions regarding a person’s refusal to attend hearings related to Congress’ control functions. Thus, the text begins with the origins of this power discussed at the constituent assembly, then analyzing it in Comparative Constitutional Law. Also taking into account both theoretical and practical elements — such as doctrine, norms and case law—, it does propose two hypotheses concerning its character and effects, concluding that entails an exercise of judicial power with res iudicata force and that it comprises a especial type of judicial review.Summary:Introduction. I. An Approach to the Colombian Judicial Review System. II. Ancillary Powers to Judicial Review: Debates and Adoption at the Constitutional Assembly. III. Ancillary Powers to Judicial Review in the Constitutional Court’s Case Law. IV. Ancillary Powers to Judicial Review in Comparative Law. V. Constitutional Court’s Decisions regarding Excuses for Subpoenas. Nature. Holdings. VI. Conclusions. Bibliography 

scholarly journals El aforamiento de los cargos públicos. Derecho español y derecho comparado. = The Public Office´s legal Inmunity. Spanish law and Comparative Law

2015 ◽  
pp. 437
Author(s):  
María Luz Martínez Alarcón
Keyword(s):  
Social Context ◽  
Constitutional Law ◽  
Comparative Law ◽  
The Political ◽  
The Public ◽  
Spanish Law ◽  
Head Of State ◽  
Comparative Constitutional Law ◽  
The Government ◽  
Specific Country

The number of aforados has been discussed in recent times in Spain. Most authors, after saying that this procedural exception exists only exceptionably in the Comparative Constitucional Law, request a substantial decrease of its figure in our country. However, this research of Comparative Constitutional Law reveals that the aforamiento is usual in relation to the Head of State and the Government members in the European constitutionalism. By contrast, the parliamentary aforamiento is an exceptional situation. Anyway, the Comparative Constitutional Law, although useful, should not be decisive in order to take decision about the future of this privilege in our country. In this regard, it is absolutely necessary to take into account its objectives and the causational and proportionately relationship between the adopted measure (aforamiento)and the achievement of those objectives in the political, institutional and social context of the specific country. And the truth is that the arguments to justify this institution, an exception to the principle of equality, are certainly weak.El número de aforados en nuestro país ha sido objeto de una fuerte polémica en los últimos tiempos en España. La mayoría, tras afirmar que esta institución se prevé de forma absolutamente excepcional en los países con los que compartimos una tradición jurídica común, solicita una reducción sustancial de esta cifra. Sin embargo, este análisis de derecho constitucional comparado revela que el aforamiento es una práctica habitual con relación a los Jefes de Estado (en el marco de una responsabilidad, eso sí, muy limitada) y a los miembros de Gobierno en el constitucionalismo europeo. Sí que es excepcional, sin embargo, el aforamiento parlamentario. En todo caso, el recurso al derecho comparado, aunque útil, no debe ser el elemento decisivo en la decisión sobre el futuro de esta institución en nuestro país. En este sentido resulta inexcusable tomar en consideración los fines pretendidos por la misma y la relación de causalidad y proporcionalidad existente entre su previsión y la consecución de dichos fines en el marco político, institucional y social del país de referencia en el que se inserta. Y lo cierto es que los fundamentos para justificar su presencia en nuestro país son un tanto endebles para conducir, como conducen, a limitar el principio de igualdad ante la ley.

scholarly journals The Global Turn to Authoritarianism and After

2017 ◽  
Vol 15 (3/4) ◽  
pp. 357-370 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Murakami Wood
Keyword(s):  
Political Theory ◽  
Global South ◽  
Global Order ◽  
Surveillance Studies ◽  
Post Colonial ◽  
Planetary Scale ◽  
The North ◽  
Global North ◽  
Common Situation ◽  
The Way

This editorial introduces the special responsive issue on the global turn to authoritarianism. It points out the lack of any systematic political theory of the way in which authority and surveillance relate within Surveillance Studies and sketches some possible outlines for such a theory, that involves relationships between surveillance, democracy, authoritarianism, colonialism and capitalism. It argues that the contemporary turn to authoritarianism is predominantly a Global North phenomenon, that adds to an already common situation in the post-colonial Global South, and that the fears that drive the turn to authoritarianism in the North are rooted in fears of the breakdown of a post-colonial global order that was so favourable to the Global North. Finally, it proposes three possible trajectories: multiplying and deepening authoritarianism; the return of neoliberalism on a planetary scale; and new forms of platform authoritarianism that emerging from surveillance capitalism. However, it rejects all of these in favour of the rediscovery of collective desires.

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