Alejandro Linares Cantillo recently completed his eight-year term on the Constitutional Court of Colombia. Appointed in 2015, Justice Linares has been an influential voice on the Court, drawing from his experience as one of the country's top lawyers and his prior service in government. We were thrilled to host Justice Linares at the 2023 Global Summit on Constitutionalism (pictured below). Here is a video tribute to Justice Linares published by the Constitutional Court on the occasion of his retirement.
A New Textbook
A brand new textbook on Italian Constitutional Law in the European Context by Diletta Tega, Giovanni Piccirilli, Giorgio Repetto, and Stefania Ninatti. The book covers the cases, history, and theory behind the most pressing constitutional controversies in Italy.
An Invitation to Austin
Authors in law and political science are invited to present their books at our upcoming conference “Books and BBQ,” here at the University of Texas at Austin on May 16-18, 2024. Attendees will be treated to Austin’s best BBQ. You are welcome to register a book panel or to register as an observer. All are welcome to join us here in Austin!
Spotlight on Early-Career Scholars
This is the 47th edition of my “spotlight” on early-career scholars in public law. Each edition features five scholars around the world. I invite you to get to know them, learn about their work, and invite them to your conferences. We are at our best when we open our doors to the next generation.
Constitution Day Lecture
The text of my Constitution Day Lecture on The Constitution America Could Have Had is now published. I examine the constitutional losses suffered by Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and James Madison. Had they won their battles, the U.S. Constitution would have been much different today – and not necessarily for the better. My thanks to Amy Wildermuth and the University of Pittsburgh for inviting me to give this special lecture.
The Doctrine of Necessity
Must constitutional actors sit on their hands when their constitution is unamendable? Not in Cyprus, where the Supreme Court has ruled that the doctrine of necessity authorizes amendments that violate the constitution's amendment procedures. This new paper explains it all.
Constitutional Reform in Lesotho
For some time now, I have been involved in consultations on constitutional reform in Lesotho, the mountain Kingdom in southern Africa. I recently participated in my first public engagement in the country, giving a lecture at a symposium hosted by Transformation Resource Center. I spoke about The Problem of Constitutional Replacement by Constitutional Amendment. The audience included the Chief Justice, the Deputy Prime Minister, the Minister of Justice, and others in government and civil society. I look forward to continuing our conversations.
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The mission of the International Forum on the Future of Constitutionalism is to marshal knowledge and experience to build a world of opportunity, liberty, and dignity for all.