Category: Ran Hirschl
-
Comparative constitutional and judicial politics is more relevant than ever
For aficionados of comparative constitutional and judicial politics, the last month provided lots to chew on. With all the media attention and academic buzz surrounding the USSC ruling on the so-called Obamacare program, other, more blatant illustrations of constitutional and judicial politics in action have kept popping.
-
Constitutional jurisprudence in paradise (Seychelles)
[I am delighted to post this note on behalf of the Honorable Justice Anthony Francis T. Fernando of the Court of Appeal, Seychelles – the highest court in that small Indian Ocean country. It concerns an important election appeal ruling rendered by the Seychelles Court of Appeal in December 2011.
-
Another chapter in Israel’s constitutional wars
It has been a while since we reported here about Israel’s ongoing constitutional (and culture) wars. The right wing government, and in particular members of the governing coalition who represent religious parties, Jewish settlers and nationalist parts of the Russian immigrant community, have long viewed the Supreme Court as a bastion of liberal secularism and…
-
Two new Supreme Court of Canada Justices nominated
Canada’s Prime Minister Stephen Harper has just named his two nominees to fill the two vacant seats on the Supreme Court of Canada created with the stepping down of Justices Louise Charron and Ian Binnie from Ontario, who announced their departure earlier this year at the age of 60 and 72 respectively (mandatory retirement age…
-
Landmark ECtHR ruling on Crucifix in the Italian Classroom
While many observers have been focusing on pertinent developments in Egypt, the world of constitutional law marches on. Earlier today (March 18), the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights delivered its ruling in Lautsi v. Italy (case no.
-
World Congress of the International Association of Constitutional Law in Mexico City
For those with an interest in comparative constitutional law, a good place to be this coming week is Mexico City. The VIIIth World Congress of the International Association of Constitutional Law kicks off tomorrow at the Hilton Reforma Mexico City. The latest version of the program is available here.
-
Constitution-making in Somalia
A fascinating, first-hand account of current UN-led constitution-making efforts in war-ridden Somalia — arguably one of the bleakest, most dysfunctional corners of today’s world — is offered by Professor David Cameron of the University of Toronto’s Department of Political Science. Professor Cameron, a prominent scholar of Canadian federalism and inter-governmental relations, has long been involved…
-
A Supreme Court vs. Religious Authorities Showdown in Israel
In August 2009 I wrote here about the Israeli Supreme Court ruling that involved a clash between the right to sectarian autonomy in education, and equality rights. A girls-only publicly-funded religious school introduced separation between an educational stream for Ashkenazi Hasidic community girls, and a different stream for Sephardic (Mizrahi) girls.
-
Political (and constitutional) Turmoil in Belgium
In the world of constitutional design, few things could be more ironic than a country that at the same time is home to the unofficial capital of the new Europe just as its own political and constitutional future is increasingly under siege.
-
Rights at Work?
For those of us who grew up in times and places where “socialist” was not considered an insulting adjective, May Day still means something. And notably more so if a person happens to live in one of the 170 countries or so where the regulation of working conditions, hours, wages, etc.