To my knowledge, the Center for Constitutional Democracy at Indiana University is unique in the English-speaking world. The Center administers a doctoral degree and trains students to support constitutional reform and peace processes around the world. Students travel with the Center's faculty leaders to assist with constitutional advising in jurisdictions such as Jordan, Liberia, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, and Yemen. The Center also publishes a scholarly journal, hosts a speaker series, and is especially interested in promoting gender equity and fostering accountable government. If this is your first time learning about the CCD, I invite you to read more here. 

One of my favorite book series is Hart's Constitutional Systems of the World. Its latest installment is “The Constitutional System of the Hong Kong SAR: A Contextual Analysis,” an advanced introduction to the operation of the Constitution of Hong Kong within China's socialist legal system. 

Registration is now open for the 2nd Graduate Conference on Constitutional Change at the University of Texas at Austin, to be held on January 11-13, 2024. Graduate students of all levels are welcome. More details here. Applicants will be notified on a rolling basis beginning this coming week.

“Constitutional Law and Politics of Secession” is an important new book featuring 17 outstanding scholars examining the history, law, politics and theory of secession. Edited by Antoni Abat i Ninet, this book is published in the Routledge Series in Comparative Constitutional Change.

In the Fall 2023 semester, the Constitutional Studies Program will host Constitutional Court judges from Colombia, Poland and Portugal, as well as scholars from Barbados, Ecuador, Mexico, and the United States. We welcome visitors in various capacities, for instance to deliver lectures, to conduct research, and to establish or deepen faculty collaborations.

I returned yesterday from Aruba, known as “one happy island.” Every day during my stay, I jogged by this famous sign in the capital, Oranjestad. The beauty of the island is undeniable. The country has invested significant financial resources to protect its wildlife and environment. The Government is now spending political capital to enshrine the rights of nature in its constitution. This entails a complex process of consultation and constitutional amendment.