Comparative Constitutional Law

JURIST Columnist Edsel Tupaz of Tupaz & Associates argues that the coming impeachment trial of Philippine Chief Justice Renato Corona must be undertaken in a manner that preserves the integrity of both the Congress and the Supreme Court, while impartially addressing the serious allegations of abuse of power leveled against Corona.

Since 1986, Poland has had its Constitutional Court (TK), placed outside the structure of ordinary judiciary. Since 1993, the TK has been issuing ‘interpretive judgments’ in which it decides that a certain statutory rule is constitutional only under a certain interpretation. On numerous occasions the Supreme Court (SN) has refused to follow the TK’s decisions, claiming that they are unconstitutional, ultra vires and non-binding. An analysis of the arguments put forward by the SN and TK in this ‘war of the courts’ reveals that the SN prefers ultra-formalist arguments typical of the hyperpositivist legal culture of the former state-socialist period, whilst the TK seems to prefer pragmatist arguments, more typical to contemporary Western legal culture. The paper concludes that behind the ‘war of the courts’ in Poland there is a clash of legal cultures and attempts at identifying the reasons for it.

"This book provides the first systematic explanation of the origins of constitutional designs from an analytical, historical, and comparative perspective. Based on a comprehensive analysis of constitutional change in Latin America from 1900 to 2008 and four detailed case studies, Gabriel Negretto shows that the main determinants of constitutional choice are the past performance of constitutions in providing effective and legitimate instruments of government and the strategic interests of the actors who have influence over institutional selection. The book explains how governance problems shape the general guidelines for reform, while strategic calculations and power resources affect the selection of specific alternatives of design. It also emphasizes the importance of the events that trigger reform and the designers' level of electoral uncertainty for understanding the relative impact of short-term partisan interests on constitution writing. Negretto's study challenges predominant theories of institutional choice, and paves the way for the development of a new research agenda on institutional change.

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""The history of South Korea in the years 1953 – 1987 (since the end of the Korean War to the establishment of existing the 6
th Republic) was characterized by successive turns in the direction of authoritarianism or democracy. Researchers distinguished two periods of an unfinished transition to de
mocracy which were short breaks in dominant autocratic rule
: the period 1962-1967 and 1980-1985. The third return to
democracy began in 1987 and was a success - the revision of the constitution and the establishment of the 6th Republic of Korea. Since 1992 (the date of the presidential election won for the first time by the candidate who wasn’t derived from military circles) South Korea is regarded as a truly democratic state. The scientific studies are, however, reporting many concerns. First observes the differences that exist between so-called. "Confucian constitutionalism" with elements of "soft authoritarianism" and Western-style democracy. Second - focus on the instability of the Korean political scene, as an obstacle to the full democratization of the system. This paper is a presentation of the fundamental issues related to the legal and political system of the Republic of Korea. The country is almost absent in Polish literature, in contrast to North Korea. The need for updating knowledge indicated in the title is beyond doubt.""

Después de muchos años, el Tribunal de Justicia de la Unión europea parece seguir en el trayecto hacia el “enriquecimiento” de contenidos y definición de los limites que pertenecen a la ciudadanía europea. Este instituto, aunque parezca más consolidado que otros en el panorama de la UE, por un lado exige una continua y determinada afirmación, siendo probablemente el resultado más evidente del proceso de integración y, por otra parte, resulta ser aún más importante por los derechos que conlleva y por los ámbitos en los que influye. Además, hace tres años, con la sentencia Zambrano (C-34/09) la ciudadanía de la Unión tocaba, no por primera vez pero de forma absolutamente innovadora, el controvertido tema de los nacionales de terceros Países, en su calidad de miembros de la familia de un ciudadano europeo. De aquí, la necesidad de tratar el asunto con la máxima atención que se requiere, teniendo en cuenta de que la misma ciudadanía esta relacionada con el derecho a la libre circulación (ej. sentencia C-434/09), la entrada y la residencia en el territorio de un Estado miembro (ej. sentencias C-256/11, C-300/11yC-40/11) y, por fin, con la libertad, en cabo a cada ciudadano de la Unión (sino a cualquier persona humana), de mantener intacta su propia vida familiar, así como establece los artículos 7 y 9 de la Carta de derechos fundamentales de la UE.

The paper offers an overview of the general principles and basic features of the Turkish constitutional order aimed at understanding and, when possible, measuring the effectiveness of Turkish constitutional principles (and human rights safeguards) in criminal law and criminal justice matters. In such perspective, the Authors consider the relation between Constitution and ordinary law and the constitutional review, the issue of sovereignty, the role of the state, separation of powers and equality, the constitutional recognition of individual rights and freedoms and their basic means of protection, the constitutional means of protection of individual rights and freedoms (such as judicial review and individual application to the Constitutional Court), the constitutional principles of substantive criminal law (legality, personality of the criminal responsibility, materiality and principle of harm, the principles concerning penalties and measures restrictive of personal liberty), the constitutional principles of criminal procedure. Finally, the paper provides an analysis of the emergency rule in the Turkish constitution, which provides further spaces of legitimation for restrictions of individual rights and liberties.

"Dans le système élaboré en 1787 par la Convention américaine, les pouvoirs de déclarer et de conduire la guerre furent respectivement attribués au congrès et au président en vertu du principe de séparation des pouvoirs ; la Constituante française privilégia en 1790 un système favorable à l’unité des deux représentants légitimes de la Nation : le concours entre le roi et l’assemblée nationale. Le pouvoir de déclarer la guerre appartient au corps législatif qui ne peut l’exercer sans le concours de l’initiative du pouvoir exécutif. Ce principe de distribution – qui repose sur la distinction entre initiative et consentement – a été entériné par la plupart des constitutions françaises. La constitution de la cinquième République ne fait pas exception. Le président y est « le chef des armées » et « préside aux conseils et comités supérieurs de la Défense nationale » (article 15). Mais, en vertu de l’article 35, « la déclaration de guerre est autorisée par le parlement », autorisation qui suppose – le parlement ne pouvant agir proprio motu – l’initiative préalable du président et du gouvernement.
Mais ces systèmes n’ont pas véritablement fonctionné au cours des dernières décennies et, depuis la fin de la Guerre Froide, plusieurs interventions extérieures des démocraties représentatives ont suscité une interrogation grandissante parmi les régimes qui disposent d’un système comparable de répartition des pouvoirs de guerre.
La guerre d’Irak initiée en 2003 a provoqué aux Etats-Unis et au Royaume-Uni une large prise de conscience des limites et des dysfonctionnements des dispositifs existants – la guerre du Vietnam, déjà, avait suscité d’intenses débats en 1973. En France, la guerre du Golfe a été à l’origine d’une longue réflexion matérialisée par la publication de plusieurs rapports préconisant une réforme constitutionnelle. Le dernier Livre Blanc s’en est inspiré, puisqu’il y est écrit qu’une intervention sera jugée d'autant plus légitime que "les objectifs poursuivis seront transparents et que le soutien de la collectivité nationale sera exprimé, notamment par ses représentants au parlement." La réforme de 2008 a inscrit ce principe dans la Constitution en attribuant au Parlement des fonctions de contrôle et d’autorisation a posteriori des opérations extérieures. Selon nous, ces nouvelles fonctions n’ont pas réellement « rééquilibré » la Constitution en faveur du parlement en respectant le principe de concours des pouvoirs  en matières de paix et de guerre. "

L’articolo intende ricostruire in chiave critica l’attuale regolamentazione relativa allo sport in ambito europeo e derivante dal Trattato di Lisbona, sottolineandone incongruenze, lacune e contraddizioni, sostanzialmente derivanti dall’ormai consueto tacito dialogo intercorrente tra il legislatore di Bruxelles e la Corte di Giustizia dell’Unione Europea: in particolare, si rimarca come il diritto europeo, in forza della sentenza Meca – Medina della stessa CGUE, riduca, rectius, sia costretta a ridurre anche l’attività sportiva al rango di attività economica ai fini della comprensione della stessa all’interno dell’orbita normativa dell’ordinamento UE. Ciò si spiega facendo rimando all’architettura fondamentalmente mercantilistica e d economicistica caratterizzante già dalle proprie origini il comparto normativo – istituzionale medesimo, a nulla sostanzialmente valendo i reiterati quanto sterili tentativi, di matrice dunque essenzialmente politica, compiuti al livello extraterritoriale in esame di caratterizzare l’azione dell’UE anche in direzioni aliene rispetto a rationes e finalità di mercato

This paper examines the socio-linguistic features of a long neglected collection of Chinese court cases involving civil disputes, wherein the presiding judges actively engaged in constitutional interpretation and openly invoked and enforced horizontally orientated socio-economic rights to prosecute civil issues ranging from exploitative labour practices to identity theft.  Because constitutional provisions are technically non-judiciable, the existence of these court cases is surprising.  A detailed linguistic analysis of these cases reveals how judges expand their competency over constitutionally enshrined rights by manipulating the very language of the constitution, and as a result, produce a tenuous and quasi-unconstitutional relationship between the text of the constitution and the judiciary.  This hybrid socio-legal-linguistic approach sheds new light upon contemporary indigenous Chinese articulations of ‘constitutionalism’, and also illustrates specific categories of constitutional issues that could successfully find increased representation within Chinese courtrooms.

"ABSTRACT
This book examines the doctrine of transgenerational punishment found in the Decalogue: the idea that God punishes sinners vicariously and extends the punishment due them to three or four generations of their progeny. Already in ancient Israel, even though it was a “God-given” law, the unfairness of punishing innocent people merely for being the children or grandchildren of wrongdoers was clearly recognized. A series of inner-biblical and post-biblical responses to the rule demonstrates that later writers were able to criticize, reject, and replace this problematic doctrine with the alternative notion of individual retribution. From this perspective, the formative canon is the source of its own renewal: it fosters critical reflection upon the textual tradition and sponsors intellectual freedom.

To round out the volume, a final chapter provides a valuable bibliographical essay on the distinctive approach of “inner-biblical exegesis.” This resource will support further study and shows the contributions of European, Israeli, and North American scholars. The volume opens new perspectives on current debates within the humanities about canonicity, textual authority, and authorship. There is an extended discussion of the formation of the German literary canon (Mme de Stael; Heinrich Heine and the "portatives Kanon") and of German intellectual history (Immanuel Kant).

KEYWORDS
Decalogue, Divine Justice, Canon, Intertextuality, Allusion, Immanuel Kant, inner-biblical exegesis, relecture, Fortschreibung, Kanon, Textuality, Literary Theory, Hammurabi, Vassal Treaty of Esarhaddon, scribal curriculum, Ruth, Authorship, Ezekiel 18, Hittite Laws, Lamentations 5:7; Exodus 20; Deuteronomy 7, Deuteronomy 5; Targum; Deut 24; individual responsibility; repentance; transgenerational punishment; vicarious punishment, Kanonformel, Mme de Stael, Land der Dichter und Denker; Heinrich Heine; portatives Kanon; portable canon; Immanuel Kant; literary approach to Bible; legal hermeneutics; interdisciplinary.


REVIEWS

"This just might be the best book I’ve read in a long time. It’s challenged my assumptions about the development of the Hebrew Bible and the role of innovation alongside preservation. . . . All in all, I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the issues of early biblical interpretation and the formation of the biblical canon. Specialists across the board in religious studies and biblical studies would profit from a closer look at Levinson’s book. I’m recommending it to everyone I know—NT students, rabbinics experts, early Christian studies people, Hebrew Bible colleagues—you know who you are—read this book!"
—Douglas Mangum, Biblia Hebraica: A Blog about the Hebrew Bible; http://bibliahebraica.blogspot.com (2009)

"The book deserves a wide readership. It would serve well as a text for advanced undergraduate or graduate courses that deal with inner-biblical exegesis. One can also hope that scholars in other fields will read it and take to heart Levinson’s argument for the reintegration of biblical studies into the core of academic work in the humanities. In addition, there are faith communities that would be encouraged by Levinson’s insight into the nature of canon and the necessity for ongoing reinterpretation of tradition. The book’s research is thorough, its argument forceful, its writing elegant, and it is blessedly short. If books can be placed into tribes, may this one’s increase."
—Bruce Wells, Review of Biblical Literature; http://www.bookreviews.org (2010)

"Biblical studies were once integrated into the center of scholarship and even its moving agent. With this study Levinson wants to reintegrate the study of the Hebrew Bible into the overall humanities discourse. The religious canon of the Hebrew Bible is not an inflexible collection of books that stands in the way of innovation. Levinson analyses the phenomenon of the rewriting of texts both inside (e.g. legal change) and outside the Hebrew Bible (e.g. Targum) to demonstrate the opposite. The example of transgenerational punishment shows, the exegetical processes involved in this rewriting point not only to dynamic and creative processes inside the canon of the Hebrew Bible but show how a canon initiated and initiates innovation as its driving engine. Levinson points e.g. to a nexus between the emergence of the German literary canon and academic biblical studies. With this study Levinson demonstrates again how he masterfully integrates his own exegetical brilliance into larger theoretical frameworks beyond the constraints of biblical studies. Especially helpful to the specialist and colleagues from other fields is a long essay on the history of research about rewriting processes inside the Hebrew Bible (91–181)."
—Armin Lange, Journal of Ancient Judaism 1:2 (2010)

"The bibliographical essay is an excellent overview of research on what is now often called ‘inner-biblical exegesis,’ and it will serve as a superb tool for beginners and seasoned researchers alike. The other essays span a vast array of methodological problems and exegetical insights and are at the forefront of current research into legal traditions in the HB. A highly welcome volume."
—Joachim Schaper, SOTS Book List 2009 =JSOT 33 (2009)

"Perhaps I am biased, but it seems to me to be beyond any reasonable doubt that, behind the final form of the canonical, biblical text lies evidence of a lively, imaginative, and creative use of interpretation, reinterpretation, and reapplication of earlier texts. It is a complex, living, creative achievement which, for just this reason, invites constant, continuing invention, as Levinson maintains. I certainly find this book itself a delightful, informative, and stimulating one to read."
—Rex Mason, Journal of Theological Studies 60 (2009)

"The book’s most innovative contribution lies in its first . . . half, which explores the relation between biblical studies and the humanities. . . . As L. notes—rightly in my judgment—this deeply rooted separation of Jerusalem from Athens has been to no one’s advantage. His discussion of the relationship between the concept of ethics in Kant and in Ezekiel demonstrates how much both disciplines might gain from such a conversation. The secularization of the liberal arts has left them largely uninformed about contemporary ways of reading the Bible. Recent discussions in the humanities could find much of value in biblical studies’ sophisticated ways of thinking about canonicity. . . .

"The essays that constitute the first half of this book are the product of more than a decade and a half of research and deliberation. Their sustained and fluent reflection on important issues will reward contemplation by biblical scholars, while the bibliographic essay that makes up the second half will be a useful tool for those interested in exploring the growing body of work on inner-biblical exegesis."
—Frederick E. Greenspahn, Catholic Biblical Quarterly 71 (2009)

"This is a revised and expanded essay first published in French in 2005. The concern is inner-biblical exegesis, an important area of recent Old Testament research and a subject to which Levinson is a significant contributor. The first half of the book sets the subject of inner-biblical exegesis within the context of canon. Levinson rightly observes that biblical exegesis is not a development that emerges after final canonization, but something occurring within the material from an early stage. For him canon is something that tends towards fixity, but yet the texts also attest radical innovation as texts are disputed even within the canon itself. One extended case study occupies a significant part of Levinson’s attention: those texts that deal with intergenerational punishment. Levinson seeks to show that Ezekiel and Deuteronomy 7 deliberately cite the Decalogue in order to subvert its plain meaning and offer a reinterpretation where individuals receive reward and punishment for their own deeds. This reinterpretation of the Decalogue is determinative for later Jewish thinking. The final chapter contributes half of the book’s length and is a bibliographical essay on inner-biblical exegesis. It traces the subject from Wellhausen through the very earliest observers of the biblical literature’s literary (rather than oral) inter-relationships to the most recent works. Pithy and perceptive introductions to all the major literature on inner-biblical exegesis are given and this is an extremely valuable resource for more advanced students. This would be an excellent addition to any theological library and it is to be hoped that the publisher will soon release a paperback version so more students can enjoy the fruits of Levinson’s labours."
—Nathan MacDonald, Theological Book Review 21 (2009)

"The format of this book . . . provides a thorough but brief introduction to inner-biblical exegesis approach, both in method and in theory. Anyone, scholar or student, who is interested in learning more about how the theoretical foundations of this approach as well as how it works will find the text invaluable. Second, for scholars in particular, the footnotes and the bibliographic essay are excellent and up-to-date resources of the field. The bibliographic essay was a particularly delightful read in that Levinson connected many scholars with whom most readers will have at least a passing acquaintance in a new way. Third, the length and style of this text make it very accessible to both upper-level undergraduate students and graduate students working in the area of biblical interpretation or looking more generally at the idea of canon."
—Karla Suomala, Review of Biblical Literature 11 (2009)

"Throughout the text, L.’s careful work leads him to exhort the humanities explicitly to engage in greater interdisciplinary dialogue. Academic biblical studies have engaged and incorporated insights from other disciplines into exegesis, but colleagues in comparative literature, history of religions, and related fields have not reciprocated to the same degree. ‘Unfortunately, many within the broader academic community are woefully uninformed about how to read the Bible critically, historically, and intellectually’ (93)."
—John J. Pilch, Theological Studies 70:4 (2009): 967–68

"In his foray into the topic of the Ten Commandments in history and tradition seen from the vantage point of inner-biblical exegesis, Bernard Levinson zeroes in on the question of moral agency. It is hard to think of a more fundamental topic at the interface of law and theology. Levinson understands Ezekiel 18 to amount to a covert repudiation of the doctrine of cross-generational transfer of the consequences of human behavior as it finds expression in the Decalogue at Exod 20:5–6.1. A brilliant thesis, one I hope receives a wide hearing."
—John Hobbins, Ancient Hebrew Poetry blog; http://ancienthebrewpoetry.typepad.com (2009)

"In this book, Levinson considers the literary and textual authority of scripture and the creative conventions that led to its production. . . . With an extensive bibliographic essay outlining the contributions of renowned scholars, prominent in the field of inner-biblical exegesis, this exhaustive book recognizes the need for a more innovative and intuitive debate within the wider humanities about canonicity, textual authority and authorship. . . . I was inspired by Levinson’s theories and would certainly recommend this book to scholars interested in the textual construction of scripture. . ."
—Benjamin Bury, Reviews in Religion and Theology 17:3 (2010): 279–80

"Best Book on Inner-Biblical Exegesis Ever!
I’m pleased to announce that this thought-provoking volume is now available in an affordable paperback edition. My hope is that it will reach a wider audience in biblical studies, especially graduate students interested in the formation of the Hebrew Bible and inner-biblical exegesis."
—Douglas Mangnum, Biblia Hebraica et Graeca; A Blog about the Hebrew Bible; http://bibliahebraica.blogspot.com (2010)

“The book may claim to be about the dynamics of legal (i.e. halachic) development within the Bible, but the underlying message deals with the viability of theories of halachic change in the contemporary Jewish community. That is why it should be required reading for participants in law committees and students of Jewish law.”
—Rabbi Neil Gillman, in CJ: Voices of Conservative/Masorti Judaism, Summer 2011, p. 9 [online: http://www.wlcj.org/articlenav.php?id=416]

“This slender volume . . . sets out the discipline of “inner-biblical exegesis” by one of its foremost practitioners today. The author, Bernard Levinson, sets himself apart from most other inner-biblical exegetes in two ways. The first is his desire to engage in dialogue with disciplines outside of biblical studies. The second is the scrupulous attention he pays to ancient Near Eastern legal texts as sources for illuminating biblical law. . . . Levinson is to be applauded for this fine volume, which demonstrates his preferred methodology clearly and concisely for a broad academic audience.”
—Sidnie White Crawford, Biblical Theology Bulletin: A Journal of Bible and Theology 40 (2010): 165–166

“Levinson’s book is a gem and deserves a wide readership.”
—Megan Warner, in Australian BiblicalReview 59 (2011);
www.fbs.org.au/reviews/levinson59b.html

"Legal Revision and Religious Renewal concludes with an extensive annotated bibliography (86 pages!) that is primarily populated with books from Biblical Studies. This section will be most helpful for specialists in the fields of Biblical and Judaic Studies. Some of the arguments, however, may prove inspiring for scholars outside the field."
—Michael J. Chan, Shofar: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Jewish Studies 31 (2012); online: http://www.case.edu/artsci/jdst/reviews/Legal.htm"