We have released the program for the 2025 Global Summit on Constitutionalism. Over the course of three days – from March 20 to 22, 2025 – attendees will enjoy 66 panels and 4 plenary lectures on a variety of subjects in constitutionalism, from constitution-making to Fourth Branch institutions to judicial bricolage and far beyond. In addition, we will award these six prizes at our Awards Ceremony:

1. Prize for Constitutional Courage

2. Prize for Defending Human Rights

3. Prize for Lifetime Achievement in Constitutional Studies

4. Prize for Scholarly Excellence in Constitutional Studies

5. Prize for Public Policy Impact in Constitutional Studies

6. Prize for Mentorship in Constitutional Studies

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Registration is now closed, but we will live stream our four plenary sessions. Details will soon follow on how to watch the live stream, featuring the four speakers below. We are grateful to each of them for joining us here at the University of Texas at Austin.

Kim Lane Scheppele, the Laurance S. Rockefeller Professor of Sociology and International Affairs in the Department of Sociology at Princeton University, will deliver the inaugural Sanford Levinson Lecture in Constitutional Studies.

Justice Natalia Ángel Cabo of the Constitutional Court of Colombia will assess the current state of constitutional courts in Latin America.

On the 20th anniversary of the failure of the European Constitution, Miguel Maduro, Dean of the Law School at Universidade Católica Portuguesa, will offer reflections on the past and future of a Constitution for Europe.

Christina Murray, one of the world's most sought-after constitutional advisors, will discuss the current state and future trends in constitution-making.

Semifinal voting is now open for the 2024 Book of the Year! The Prize is awarded by the International Forum on the Future of Constitutionalism. It is is given to the most important book in constitutional studies published during the last calendar year. 
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Congratulations to the Semifinalists:

 

 

 

 

 

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Thank you to the Expert Council for nominating the original 16 finalists for the 2024 Book of the Year prize. 

 

Antonia Baraggia | Italy
Berihun Gebeye | Ethiopia
Masahiko Kinoshita | Japan
Virginie Kuoch | France
Emilio Meyer | Brazil
Jaime Olaiz-González | Mexico
Marieta Safta | Romania

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You are invited to vote here!

ICON-S Writing School 

The ICON-S Writing School is back for its fourth consecutive year. Coordinated by Stefano Osella, it is a one-of-a-kind program covering key topics on research and writing in public law. The faculty is outstanding. The subject matter is timely. And the entire program is open to all – at no cost. Registration is available here. Details are listed below. Join us!

My next book is titled Multi-Textual Constitutions of the World. It is a 15-person collaboration. Together we seek to understand the form, functions, and limits of multi-textual constitutions. In short, multi-textual constitutions consist of multiple documents of shared legal supremacy, while uni-textual constitutions consist of a single document that is supreme above all other law. (Learn more about multi-textual constitutions here.) Which of the potential book covers below do you prefer? Vote here!

We know a lot about the hard law on courts. It seeks to structure all aspects of courts – how judges are selected, how they rule once in office, and how they relate with other branches of government. Yet much of the operation of courts is unwritten, existing in informal norms, practices, and relationships. This collection of chapters uncovers much of what is not yet known about the soft law on courts, namely the informal institutions and relational networks that construct and sustain judicial power. The book also offers a rich research agenda for further study. 

Sarbani Sen and Anujay Shrivastava have posted their draft chapter on “Constitutional Change,” forthcoming in the Cambridge Companion to the Constitution of India. The chapter examines the formal and informal ways the Indian Constitution has changed since its enactment – and the ways it may yet change. I recommend the chapter for its comprehensiveness, creativity, and deep analysis of constitutional evolution in India.

Thirty-five years ago, the Hungarian National Assembly became the first democratically elected legislature after the fall of the socialist regime in Central and Eastern Europe. A conference will be held at Széchenyi István University on May 8, 2025, in honor of this landmark anniversary. Papers are welcome on all aspects of parliamentary powers, procedures, elections and beyond. Registration is available here.

Case Western Reserve School of Law has become the first law school in the United States to require its students to earn a certification in legal artificial intelligence. The certification will entail learning how AI and large language models work, understanding how to harness the power of AI to serve clients in legal practice, appreciating the ethical and regulatory guidelines on the use of AI in law, applying best practices for managing sensitive data and information, and addressing legal challenges to innovation in this rapidly-evolving field and practice of law.

I was invited to speak with Faculti about my research on constitutional amendment procedures. The team at Faculti has now published a short video of highlights from our discussion. It is available here.