Constitutional Comparative Law

The course aims to provide students a general understanding of comparative constitutional law by carrying out a preliminary analysis of the main institutions and models derived from the historical experience of Western constitutionalism. The analysis will then focus on the constitutional institutions of the Central and Eastern European countries, which have been affected over the last 30 years by epochal transformations both in terms of state-building and of the different political-constitutional transitions (from the socialist model to democracy, from democratic consolidation to constitutional regression, to the emergence of new forms of authoritarianism). The course is developed in synergy with other courses provided by the degree course, in accordance to its interdisciplinary vocation. The aim is to provide students with the tools and keys of analysis to understand the aspects and dynamics of the complex political and institutional reality of the countries examined, both internally and in the complex network of supranational integration.

Knowledge and understanding:
At the end of the course, the student will have acquired the knowledge necessary to understand the constitutional dynamics of Central and Eastern European countries, in a historical and comparative perspective, and will be able to analyse the different types of transition and the differences in relevant areas (consolidated democracies, illiberal democracies, post authoritarian regimes).
Ability to apply knowledge and understanding:
The acquired knowledge will allow the student to analyze autonomously the constitutional characteristics of the new democracies and to express both in written and oral presentations (the latter resulted from team work), an in-depth analysis based on the autonomous gathering of sources (legislation, case-law and doctrine) and on the use of a specific language.