52 research outputs found
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The post-Soviet as post-colonial ::a new paradigm for understanding constitutional dynamics in the former soviet empire /
No full text"This book takes a new approach to post-socialist constitutional change in Europe and Eurasia. It views these constitutions as the products of the collapse of Europe's last empire, the Soviet Union. This book therefore seeks to understand these constitutions as more than just post-authoritarian texts, but also as post-colonial ones. This post-colonial paradigm provides a new set of tools for understanding constitutional dynamics in key countries within the European Union as well as the former Soviet republics to the East. In particular, it helps explain democratic backsliding in Central Europe (such as Hungary and Poland), authoritarian resilience in many of the former Soviet republics (including Russia, Belarus, and Kazakhstan) as well as ongoing struggles about national identity in places like Ukraine and Moldova. Partlett and Küpper's application of the post-colonial paradigm to the former Soviet world contributes to our understanding of post-colonial constitutionalism. This insightful book therefore appeals to the comparative constitutional academic community as well as the broader academic community interested in post-colonialism. It will also be of interest to a general audience interested in better understanding the former socialist bloc countries"-
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Why the Russian constitution matters ::the constitutional dark arts /
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The legal dimension in cold-war interactions ::some notes from the field /
No full textGiven their relationship to political rhetoric, myths of the Cold War certainly matter today; the legal field is no exception. Although Cold-War studies remains a blooming field, its legal dimensions have not been sufficiently developed. Only recently have legal scholars begun to embark upon research in law and the Cold War and how this area is regarded nowadays, both explicitly and implicitly. Preliminary results show that, on both sides of the Iron Curtain, knowledge of law of the 'Other' was encapsulated within two main frameworks: ideological and pragmatic. How did these approaches interrelate and influence one another? Can pure knowledge strictly be divided from contextual conditions? The chapters in this volume present retrospective accounts of actors who have been involved in the circulation of knowledge through the Curtain and, also, research on recent political and legal phenomena echoing the Cold-War discourse. Contributors: Jane Henderson Albert J. Schmidt Zlata E. Benevolenskaya Leena Lehtinen Boris N. Mamlyuk William Partlett Paul B. Stepha
Restoration Constitution-Making
No full textAbstract
This Article will examine an important - but largely ignored - approach to constitution- making: The use of restored constitutional orders as the basis for the creation of a new constitutional order. Looking at this ‘restoration constitution-making’ in post-communist constitutional transition, it will describe how restoration held both advantages and disadvantages. On one hand, restoration improved the politics of constitution-making by helping to avoid the elite manipulation of extraordinary institutions during constitutional drafting. On the other hand, the restoration of decades-old constitutions also led to restored laws that privileged past generations and undermined broad popular participation. Finally, restoration was an important part of gaining international recognition for independence. This international component suggests that constitution-making is about more than just domestic politics. These findings are an important first step in understanding the potential of restoration to ensure a successful constitutional transition.</jats:p
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Why the Russian Constitution Matters ::The Constitutional Dark Arts /
No full textThis book challenges the common view that the Russian Constitution is a sham or a reflection of Russia's authoritarian past. It instead shows that the Russian Constitution was a product of the constitutional 'dark arts', an increasingly common constitutional practice that seeks to guarantee liberal democracy and individual rights in a system of highly centralised power. Over time in Russia, the centralisation of power in the president has undermined the constitution's democratic and rights protections. This Russian experience matters for three reasons. First, it shows that Russian authoritarianism is neither the personal creation of Vladimir Putin nor a natural reflection of Russian history. It is instead the product of a centralised constitutional system. A democratic Russia is possible but requires more than just Putin leaving office - it also requires breaking with Russia's constitutional commitment to centralisation. Second, it demonstrates the role that the constitutional dark arts play in populist authoritarianism around the world. In these contexts, centralisation allows one office to claim popular legitimacy and dominate politics while (generally falsely) also claiming to respect individual rights and democracy. Third, it reveals that democratic constitutions are more than legal texts enforced in court. They are more fundamentally political texts that create a balanced state with political checks on the centralisation of political power. These checks and balances do not just limit state power and protect rights; they also enable the state to better understand and advance the general well-being of its citizens. This book therefore provides critical guidance to those involved in building democracy in a post-Putin Russia. It is also important to those seeking to better understand the role that constitutions play in shaping both authoritarian and democratic politics
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