08949 - Comparative Constitutional Law

Learning outcomes

The objective of Comparative Constitutional Law is to provide students with the following basic knowledge : the comparative method, with practical and theoretic purposes; the knowledge of the different systems of sources, of the organization of the various forms of State and Government and of the diverse Constitutional Courts. In particular, according to the objective of the course, they will learn about the regulation of the institutional structures, with special attention to the sources of law, to the evolution of the forms of State and Government and to the protection provided by the different Constitutional Courts and they will able to apply them to the european international and institutional studies.

Course contents

The course program is the following one: 

 

1. Introduction to Comparative Constitutional Law

 

2. The criteria for the classification of legal systems: the families

 

3. Constitutions and Constitutionalism

 

4. The sources of law

 

5. The sources of civil law

 

6. The sources of Italian law

 

7. Analysis of the sources of some systems of civil law

 

8. The sources of common law

 

9. The Constitutional organization. Forms of State and forms of Government

 

10. The Italian form of Government

 

11. Constitutional jurisdiction

 

12. Constitutional jurisdiction in Italy

Readings/Bibliography

FULL-TIME STUDENTS

G. Morbidelli, L. Pegoraro, A. Reposo, M. Volpi, Diritto pubblico comparato, 3ª ed., Giappichelli, Torino, 2009.

One of the following texts chosen by each student:

R.L. Blanco Valdés, Introduzione alla Costituzione spagnola del 1978, 2ª ed., Giappichelli, Torino, 2009;

P. Leyland, Introduzione al diritto costituzionale del Regno Unito, Giappichelli, Torino, 2005;

T. Groppi, E. Ottolenghi, A. Mordechai Rabello (a cura di), Il sistema costituzionale dello Stato di Israele, Giappichelli, Torino, 2006;

D. G. Morgan, Lineamenti di diritto costituzionale irlandese, Giappichelli, Torino, 1998;

P. Nikolic, I sistemi costituzionali dei nuovi stati dell'ex-Jugoslavia, Giappichelli, Torino, 2002;

J. Gomes Canotilho, Il diritto costituzionale portoghese, Giappichelli, Torino, 2006;

M. Carbonell, J. Carpizo, Diritto costituzionale messicano, Giappichelli, Torino, 2010;

A. Rinella, Cina, il Mulino, Bologna, 2006;

D. Amirante, India, il Mulino, Bologna, 2006;

L. Stroppiana, Stati Uniti, il Mulino, Bologna, 2006;

F. Palermo, J. Woelk, Germania, il Mulino, Bologna, 2005;

T. Groppi, Canada, il Mulino, Bologna, 2006;

P.L. Petrillo, Iran, il Mulino, Bologna, 2008;

A. Di Gregorio, Repubblica Ceca, il Mulino, Bologna, 2008;

F. Clementi, Città del Vaticano, il Mulino, Bologna, 2009;

M. Carducci, B. Bernardini d'Arnesano, Turchia, il Mulino, Bologna, 2008;

V. Federico, Sudafrica, il Mulino, Bologna, 2009;

F. Rescigno (a cura di), Di sana e robusta costituzione: 60 anni e non li dimostra. Celebriamo i sessanta anni della costituzioneitaliana, Baiesi, Bologna, 2008.

F. Rescigno, Il diritto di asilo, Roma, Carocci, 2010

G. Poggeschi, I diritti linguistici. Un'analisi comparata, Roma, Carocci, 2010

M. Iacometti, L'organizzazione interna dei Parlamenti , Roma, Carocci, 2010

OTHER STUDENTS (NO FULL-TIME)

Required texts

G. Morbidelli, L. Pegoraro, A. Reposo, M. Volpi, Diritto pubblico comparato, 3ª ed., Giappichelli, Torino, 2009;

L. Pegoraro, A. Rinella, Diritto pubblico comparato: profili metodologici, Cedam, Padova, 2007, Parts I e II.

One of the following texts chosen by each student:

R.L. Blanco Valdés, Introduzione alla Costituzione spagnola del 1978, 2ª ed., Giappichelli, Torino, 2009;

P. Leyland, Introduzione al diritto costituzionale del Regno Unito, Giappichelli, Torino, 2005;

T. Groppi, E. Ottolenghi, A. Mordechai Rabello (a cura di), Il sistema costituzionale dello Stato di Israele, Giappichelli, Torino, 2006;

D. G. Morgan, Lineamenti di diritto costituzionale irlandese, Giappichelli, Torino, 1998;

P. Nikolic, I sistemi costituzionali dei nuovi stati dell'ex-Jugoslavia, Giappichelli, Torino, 2002;

J. Gomes Canotilho, Il diritto costituzionale portoghese, Giappichelli, Torino, 2006;

A. Rinella, Cina, il Mulino, Bologna, 2006;

D. Amirante, India, il Mulino, Bologna, 2006;

L. Stroppiana, Stati Uniti, il Mulino, Bologna, 2006;

F. Palermo, J. Woelk, Germania, il Mulino, Bologna, 2005;

T. Groppi, Canada, il Mulino, Bologna, 2006;

P.L. Petrillo, Iran, il Mulino, Bologna, 2008;

A. Di Gregorio, Repubblica Ceca, il Mulino, Bologna, 2008;

F. Clementi, Città del Vaticano, il Mulino, Bologna, 2009;

M. Carducci, B. Bernardini d'Arnesano, Turchia, il Mulino, Bologna, 2008;

V. Federico, Sudafrica, il Mulino, Bologna, 2009;

F. Rescigno (a cura di), Di sana e robusta costituzione: 60 anni e non li dimostra. Celebriamo i sessanta anni della costituzione italiana, Baiesi, Bologna, 2008.

M. Carbonell, J. Carpizo, Diritto costituzionale messicano, Giappichelli, Torino, 2010

F. Rescigno, Il diritto di asilo, Roma, Carocci, 2010

G. Poggeschi, I diritti linguistici. Un'analisi comparata, Roma, Carocci, 2010

M. Iacometti, L'organizzazione interna dei Parlamenti , Roma, Carocci, 2010

Recommended texts for the consultation of Constitutions:

About the Italian Constitution: L. Califano, (a cura di), Costituzione della Repubblica Italiana, Maggioli, Rimini, last edition; or A. Celotto (a cura di), Costituzione annotata della Repubblica Italiana, Zanichelli, Bologna, last edition.

About other Constitutions: G. Cerrina Feroni, T. E. Frosini e A. Torre (a cura di), Codice delle Costituzioni, Giappichelli, Torino, 2009.

Recommended texts to support the study of different subjects:

L. Pegoraro (a cura di), Glossario di diritto pubblico comparato, Carocci, Roma, 2009

Teaching methods

The program will be entirely developed during the lessons; the Professor will deal with it also through instruments such as videos and overhead projector.

Some lessons will be dedicated to the thorough examination of fundamental aspects of Comparative Constitutional Law or to some Constitutional systems, or they will be about projects of reform. These lessons will be introduced by the Professor and presented by Italian or foreign experts.

Assessment methods

The exam for full-time studentswill consist in three mid-term exams and an end of term oral exam about the part of the course not covered by the written examinations.

Written examination

During the course there will be three intermediate written tests about specific parts of the program; these tests have the target to evaluate the level of knowledge of the topics explained during the lessons.

The first and the second intermediate examinations will consist in two questions and for their evaluation will be taken into consideration especially the capacity to summarize and to organize the topic into the system. The answer to only one of the questions is not enough to pass the exam.

The third intermediate examination will consist in a test or/and short answers.

The evaluation will be given above 30 points: the sufficient mark is 18/30.

The time given is 50 minutes in the first and the second examination and 30 minutes in the third.

Oral examination

All students will have to pass an oral examination about the final part of the program not covered by the written tests.

In the case of intermediate examination not passed, the student will have to study also the part of the program related to that examination for the final oral exam.

The student who doesn't pass 2 of the 3 written exams must pass a double examination about the whole program of full students: she/he is supposed to pass a previous written exam containing two questions (evaluated following the standards indicated above) and an oral exam. To pass the written examination is necessary for the oral part and the final mark. Both examination will be held on the same date and in the same place, so that the enrollment for the first examination includes both of them .

The same rule is valid for FULL-TIME students who went to lessons and DON'T participate in the intermediate evaluations.

The oral examination is strictly connected to the written examinations and is instrumental to evaluate the global preparation of the student.

The final evaluation is determined by the marks of the intermediate tests and the oral test, that must be sufficient.

The results of the intermediate examinations and the status of full-time student will be considered valid until september. After that, they will be considered no full-time students.

The exam for other studentswill consist in a written examination containing two questions and in an oral exam. The first examination will be evaluated in order to let the student to the oral part of the exam and to decide the final mark. The two exams will be held on the same day in the same place and the enrollment for the first examination includes both of them.

In winter (January and February) students can participate just in one examination: if they don't pass the exam on that date or they don't accept the mark, the exam can be done only in September, that is the last opportunity for the validity of the written tests.

Teaching tools

Slide; PC

Office hours

See the website of Giorgia Pavani