Human Rights Under African Constitutions


Book Description

Some of the most massive and persistent violations of human rights occur in African nations. In Human Rights Under African Constitutions: Realizing the Promise for Ourselves, scholars from a wide range of fields present a sober, systematic assessment of the prospects for legal protection of human rights in Africa. In a series of detailed and highly contextual studies of Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea, Morocco, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Sudan, and Uganda, experts seek to balance the socioeconomic and political diversity of these nations while using the same theoretical framework of legal analysis for each case study. Standards for human rights protection can be realized only through direct and strong support from a nation's legal and political institutions. The contributors to this volume uniformly conclude that a well-informed and motivated citizenry is the most powerful force for creating the political will necessary to effect change at the national level. In addition to a critical evaluation of the current state of human rights protection in each of these African nations, the contributors outline existing national resources available for protecting human rights and provide recommendations for more effective and practical use of these resources.




Comparative Constitutional Law


Book Description

Harvard Law Professor Cass Sunstein has said that South Africa has "the most admirable constitution in the history of the world." This comparative constitutional law casebook is unique because it allows students and experts in U.S. constitutional law (or other nations) to compare their approach with modern South African constitutionalism. The transformative and progressive South African Constitution adopts the most successful parts of existing parliamentary constitutions, while honoring the nation's African heritage. Further, it incorporates numerous international human rights such as socio-economic and environmental rights. The book's South African focus guarantees readers will grasp the contingency and social context of a foreign constitutional court's decisions, rather than primarily surveying cases from numerous other nations. Yet the introductory chapter also provides background on South Africa, and then exposes readers to key theoretical questions about comparativism. Moreover, that chapter briefly describes seven other constitutional democracies where the courts play important but different roles than in South Africa. These nations provide further context for the strong judicial review exercised by the South African Constitutional Court. Indeed, excerpts from that Court's decisions make up most of the core second chapter. The core chapter also contains questions about the reasoning of each South African case, as well as how that case compares to a single foreign case on the same topic. The book is suitable for law students, as well as other graduate and undergraduate students. In addition, the book is the first condensed version of South African constitutional case law published in the U.S. Thus, it functions as a research collection for experts, as well as a casebook.




Constitutions of Nations


Book Description

Compilation of texts of the constitutions of Algeria, Botswana, Burundi, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Benin, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Cote d'Ivoire, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Morocco, Niger, Nigeria, Rhodesia (Zimbabwe), Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa R, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Burkina Faso, Zaire and Zambia. Bibliographys.




Constitution for a Nation of Nations


Book Description

The first book to be published on the Ethiopian constitution which was established in 1994, it deals with the intricacies of federalism and the unfolding of democracy in a country that since pre-Christian times was run as a feudal state.




Constitutionalism in Africa


Book Description

This collection of essays brings together critical and considered responses to matters of constitutionalism in the context of the most recent political evolutions in many African countries. They are concerned with the struggles for progressive constitionalism, and review historical developments and future challenges. Some specific subjects discussed are: pan- Africanism and constitutionalism; culture, ethnicity and citizenship with reference to Ruanda and Senegal; equality, discrimination and constitutionalism in Muslim Africa; gender and affirmative action in post-1995 Uganda; constitution making in Eritrea; and the challenges of antiquated constitutional doctrines and values in Commonwealth Africa. The contributors are prominent scholars in the fields of politics, law and human rights and include Ola Abu Zeid, Antonia Kalu, Ali Mazrui, Oloka-Onyanyo and Sylvia Tamale.




The Oxford Handbook of Comparative Foreign Relations Law


Book Description

This Oxford Handbook ambitiously seeks to lay the groundwork for the relatively new field of comparative foreign relations law. Comparative foreign relations law compares and contrasts how nations, and also supranational entities (for example, the European Union), structure their decisions about matters such as entering into and exiting from international agreements, engaging with international institutions, and using military force, as well as how they incorporate treaties and customary international law into their domestic legal systems. The legal materials that make up a nation's foreign relations law can include constitutional law, statutory law, administrative law, and judicial precedent, among other areas. This book consists of 46 chapters, written by leading authors from around the world. Some of the chapters are empirically focused, others are theoretical, and still others contain in-depth case studies. In addition to being an invaluable resource for scholars working in this area, the book should be of interest to a wide range of lawyers, judges, and law students. Foreign relations law issues are addressed regularly by lawyers working in foreign ministries, and globalization has meant that domestic judges, too, are increasingly confronted by them. In addition, private lawyers who work on matters that extend beyond their home countries often are required to navigate issues of foreign relations law. An increasing number of law school courses in comparative foreign relations law are also now being developed, making this volume an important resource for students as well. Comparative foreign relations law is a newly emerging field of study and teaching, and this volume is likely to become a key reference work as the field continues to develop.




Transnational Constitutionalism


Book Description

An interdisciplinary perspective is adopted to examine international and European models of constitutionalism. In particular the book reflects critically on a number of constitutional themes, such as the nature of European and international constitutional models and their underlying principles; the telos behind international and European constitutionalism; the role of the state and of central courts; and the relationships between composite orders. Transnational Constitutionalism brings together a group of European and international law scholars, whose thought-provoking contributions provide the necessary intellectual insight that will assist the reader in understanding the political and legal phenomena that take place beyond the state. This edited collection represents an original and pioneering contribution to the international and European constitutional discourse.




Constitutional Rights in Two Worlds


Book Description

This book examines the South African Constitutional Court to determine how it has functioned during the nation's transition.




Separation of Powers in African Constitutionalism


Book Description

The effective division of powers is critical to ensuring the promotion of good governance, democracy, and the rule of law in Africa. This book examines key issues arising during reforms of African constitutions, and focuses on the emergence of independent constitutional institutions providing checks against future abuses of powers.




The Soul of a Nation


Book Description

Part One of this book provides a detailed account of development of the South African constitution, especially between 1985 and 1996. Part Two is a collection of key documents from South Africa's constitutional history since 1902.