Call for applications: Comparative Constitutional Law

Horizontal separation of powers and constitutional review, as well as the protection of human rights are important issues in transitional countries of post-Soviet region. A new project of the Institute of Law and Public Policy (Moscow, Russia) aims to explore the ongoing constitutional transition process and constitutional reforms from various theoretical and practical perspectives. The multi-year project aims to provide an opportunity for young scholars from the post-Communist region to discuss classic and contemporary problems of constitutional theory and comparative constitutionalism. The organizers together with a group of committed participants aim to explore the genesis and characteristic features of the Russian and post-soviet models of separation of powers from an interdisciplinary perspective. Attention will be focused on questions of comparative constitutional engineering, constitutional review, and constitutional amendments. The project is envisioned to provide possible explanations to these models (and accompanying developments) in the light of arguments emerging in the recent constitutional debates Russia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Moldova, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan and the Baltic States.

Via exploring and discussing the evolution of constitutional arrangements in these contexts in an interdisciplinary manner the project hopes to contribute to the advancement of undergraduate education in constitutionalism in post-Soviet countries. As one of its main aims, the project seeks to orient its participants towards a creative use of new theoretical, methodological and curricular approaches in their own academic work.

The project provides an excellent opportunity to discuss classical questions of constitutional theory and practice, such as comparative constitutional engineering, constitutional review, and constitutional amendments. Via its individual research component, participants are encouraged to explore and explain constitutional changes in the post-Soviet countries, to analyse separation of powers conflicts, to reflect on legal and administrative reforms in their countries and to reflect on new trends and developments.

Through the medium of teaching comparative constitutional law the project will seek to introduce and strengthen familiarity with an interactive teaching methodology that is still largely unfamiliar and under explored in this region. Participants are expected to draw upon their experiences in rethinking the curricula of core and advanced university courses, and also to benefit from innovative, critical and creative approaches when teaching this complex subject matter.

The Project will be realized in three consequent stages (2009-2011). Each of them will be devoted to one special problem concerning separation of powers in the region (tentatively):
· Theoretical grounds and constitutional implementation (2009);
· Constitutional interpretation and adjudication (2010);
· Constitutional amendments from normative and political perspective (2011).

Structure of the Project:
· Two-week summer sessions
· Annual winter one-day workshops
· Intersession activities

The first Summer Session will take place in June 28 – July 12, 2009 on the premises of the Institute of Law and Public Policy in Moscow, Russia. The working language of the project is English.

Junior academics and doctoral students in the upper years of their studies from post-Soviet countries are invited to apply for this multi-year endeavour. Applicants must have full-time or significant part-time teaching positions on the undergraduate university level, or among advanced postgraduate students who are engaged in teaching in subjects directly relevant to the project’s theme. (Please see further details on eligibility below.)

The project will be implemented by the Institute for Law and Public Policy in cooperation with the Law School of the Tver State University. Funding is provided by the Higher Education Support Program of the Open Society Institute.

Directorship (in alphabetic order):
Dr Alexander Blankenagel, Professor, Humboldt University (Berlin) – senior academic advisor
Dr Andrey Medushevsky – senior academic advisor
Dr. Renata Uitz, Associate Professor, Central European University (Budapest) - Academic Director

Entry requirements:

Applicants must have an academic and teaching background in the field of separation of powers and a sound working knowledge of core texts, theories, trends in research and teaching. Applicants must be familiar with relevant constitutional and legal norms and jurisprudence in their own country and be aware of challenges the country faces.

Applicants must be under 35 years old; have high level of English proficiency (preferably documented with a language proficiency exam), with substantial teaching experience at university level for no less than 2 years in the field of constitutional law, constitutional theory and / or political science.

Preference will be given to individuals who have completed (or are near the completion of) their first doctorate. Project participants will be encouraged to actively pursue the opportunities for professional advancement within their home academic environments.


Applicants are requested to submit the following documents:

· Application form with personal information (please see below)
· Curriculum Vitae (in English), incl. the list of publications;
· Statement of purpose / motivation letter (2 pages max., in English)
· Short essay concerning separation of powers debates in the applicant’s home country (3-4 pages, in English – to be used in course materials);
· It is recommended, but is not compulsory to provide with the list of the books/articles (10 items max., of which at least 5 should be in English) which the applicant regards relevant to the topic of the project.

Applications must be submitted to the Institute of Law and Public Policy not later than April 17, 2009 via electronic mail: CCLkonkurs@ilpp.ru.

· Note: Participants are responsible to obtain their own visas on the basis of visa support provided by the organizers. In order to allow sufficient time for obtaining visas, early applications are encouraged. The passports of the participants should be valid until

The Institute of Law and Public Policy will cover all related travel costs (economy fare) and will provide full local accommodation.

In case if you have any questions please contact:
Institute of Law and Public Policy
Mr Maxim Rasskazov,
Project Coordinator,
Tel. +7 495 608 69 59/66-35
email: m.rasskazov@ilpp.ru

Comparative Constitutional Law: Theory and Methodology in the Context of Constitutional Reforms

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Application form

Last Name

First Name

Gender: M/F

Year of birth

Home Country

Name of Teaching Institution

Years of Teaching Experience

Position

Highest academic degree, degree-granting institution and year

Academic Discipline

Courses Taught

Research Interest

Language ability: English Y/N

Language Ability: Russian Y/N

Email Address

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