Comparative Federal Constitutional Law (LAWS90056)

Many established Constitutions of the world of the 21st century provide for federalism or related forms of territorial devolution, as do many of the more recent Constitutions, especially those drawn up in the aftermath of conflict. This subject examines federal Constitutions as a sub-set of comparative constitutional law. It takes a global perspective that encompasses federal-type systems in all regions of the world, whether formed by aggregation or devolution. It canvasses the theories that underpin federal arrangements, the principal design options, the interface between federalism and the protection of individual or group rights, federal Constitutions in operation over time, judicial interpretation of federal Constitutions and the methodological problems that arise in comparing federal constitutions. Professors Jackson and Saunders, the lecturers in the subject, come respectively from the United States and Australia. They bring to the subject deep knowledge of their own federations and considerable expertise in comparative federalism and comparative constitutional law.

Principal topics include:

• Mapping the federal-type systems of the world
• Key features of federal constitutional systems: power; resources; institutions; other
• Interface between federalism and other constitutional arrangements, including rights protection and the form of government
• Judicial interpretation of federal constitutions
• Methodological challenges in comparative federal constitutional law.