Comparative Constitutional Law

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Cursusdoel

After completing this course students are able to:
  1. Identify essential characteristics of constitutional systems from a (European) comparative perspective.
  2. Read, analyze and interpret constitutional judgments and other constitutional texts.
  3. Identify historical and political backgrounds of constitutional texts.
  4. Argue with the help of clear and structured constitutional arguments.
  5. Participate in debates about constitutional matters.
  6. Put (constitutional) law in its social and political context.

Relationship between course objectives and assignments
  1. Paper 1 1, 3-6
  2. Paper 2 1, 3-6
  3. Exam 1-6

Vakinhoudelijk

This course offers an introduction to the study of comparative constitutional law. The course focuses on the central issues of constitutional law across six jurisdictions – the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, France, the Netherlands and the European Union. This guarantees an insight into both common law and civil law systems, federal and unitary states, and parliamentary and presidential systems.

The course follows the logic of the principle of separation of powers and examines in particular the roles and functions of the legislative, executive and judicial branches of government in these systems. This approach permits one to understand the differences and similarities between national systems, evaluate their characteristics and appraise the impact thereof on the operation of the legal systems concerned. The topics covered in this course revolve around the following themes:
  • Introduction to comparative constitutional law and method
  • Key constitutional features, systems of government and the notion of sovereignty
  • Federalism, unitarism and decentralization
  • Legislative branch: parliaments, election systems and lawmaking
  • Executive branch: governments and heads of state, and their relationships to parliaments
  • Judicial branch: courts and judicial review
  • Human rights protection
  • EU and ECHR law in national legal orders (UK, France, Germany, NL).

Format

There will be one or two teaching moments per week. During these teaching moments, the lecturers will outline and discuss the various themes of the course and students will be given assignments and asked to participate in group discussions. Students are expected to engage actively with their lecturer and fellow students during the teaching moments and may be asked to prepare tutorial questions before coming to class. Apart from the course handbook by Heringa, additional materials (articles, legislation, case law) will be provided each week.

The examination for this course is composed of three parts: two papers (each paper 30 % of the final grade) and a written exam (40 % of the final grade). Papers are written on a topic in the area of comparative constitutional law. The aim of writing the paper is to show that you are able to tackle a question of public law on your own.

Werkvormen

UCU course

Toetsing

Paper 1

Verplicht | Weging 30% | ECTS 2,25

Paper 2

Verplicht | Weging 30% | ECTS 2,25

*midterm FEEDBACK*

Niet verplicht

Written exam

Verplicht | Weging 40% | ECTS 3

Ingangseisen en voorkennis

Ingangseisen

Er moet voldaan zijn aan minimaal één van de cursussen:

Voorkennis

Er is geen informatie over benodigde voorkennis bekend.

Voertalen

  • Engels

Cursusmomenten

Gerelateerde studies

Tentamens

Er is geen tentamenrooster beschikbaar voor deze cursus

Verplicht materiaal

Materiaal Omschrijving
BOEK A.W. Heringa, Constitutions Compared. An Introduction to Comparative Constitutional Law (7th edition), Boom/Eleven Publishers 2023
DIVERSE Additional materials will be published on Workspaces

Aanbevolen materiaal

Er is geen informatie over de aanbevolen literatuur bekend

Coördinator

dr. D.I. Odier-Contreras Garduno d.i.odier-contrerasgarduno@uu.nl

Docenten

mr. dr. M. Sahadžić m.sahadzic@uu.nl
K.M. de Vries k.m.devries@uu.nl

Inschrijving

Let op: deze cursus is niet toegankelijk voor studenten van andere faculteiten, bijvakkers mogen zich dus niet inschrijven.

Naar OSIRIS-inschrijvingen
Permanente link naar de cursuspagina
Laat in de Cursus-Catalogus zien