Constitutions in Global Perspective (LAWS90218)

This subject canvasses a wide range of the most challenging current questions in comparative constitutional law. It does so from a global perspective, which appreciates the diversity of constitutional arrangements across the world while acknowledging their interconnections and their many shared problems. The issues on which the subject focusses in 2025 range across questions of method to problems of substance and will be explored both conceptually and empirically. Each seminar is led by a comparative scholar affiliated with Melbourne Law School, drawing on the resources of one of the leading comparative constitutional law centres in the world.

Principal topics are likely to include:

• Comparative constitutional methods
• Pluralism
• The global south in comparative constitutional law
• Constitutional amendment
• Separations of power
• Comparing multi-level systems of government.
• Constitutional repair after democratic decay
• Environmental constitutionalism
• Framing constitutional protection of rights
• Guarantor institutions
• Global constitutionalism
• Future directions

The subject coordinators will ensure interlinkages between seminars and will draw the subject together in a final seminar on future directions. The subject should be of considerable interest to Australian and international students from all regions of the world.