Encyclopedia of World Constitutions, 3-Volume Set - Hardcover

Gerhard Robbers

9780816060788: Encyclopedia of World Constitutions, 3-Volume Set

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0816060789 ISBN 13: 9780816060788

Publisher: Facts on File, Inc., 2006

How do the United States, France, Nigeria, and Chile deal with the problem of judicial review? Which countries guarantee their citizens equality under the law? Which states may suspend civil liberties in times of crisis? This informative reference work allows easy comparison between the constitutions of the 194 countries of the world. Written by specialists in the respective country, the entries follow a common structure that makes the systems easily comparable. Following a brief preface, the introduction explores the concepts of constitutional law and fundamental rights. In the A-to-Z section, each signed country entry begins with an "At-a-Glance" box that summarizes the governmental system, the legislative system, the date of the original constitution, the date the constitution was last changed, and more. This volume also includes a narrative discussion for each entry that analyzes the constitution's basic principles, including constitutional history, governmental regulation of the economy, and the rights and duties of citizenship. Other features include suggestions for further reading, including sources for the text of the constitution in English and in the original language; appendixes that cover the constitution of the European Union and provide an overview of special and disputed territories; a glossary; and a comprehensive index. Its coverage for each country includes: amendments to the constitution; basic organizational structure; citizenship; constitutional bodies; constitutional history; economy and economic rights; the election process; form and impact of the constitution; fundamental rights; leading constitutional principles; military, defense, and state of emergency; political parties; and religious communities.

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About the Author:

Gerhard Robbers, born 1950; Studies of Law at the University of Freiburg im Breisgau; 1979 doctorate; 1986 Habilitation for Public Law, Ecclesiastical Law and Legal Philosophy; 1988-1989 Professor for Public Law at the University of Heidelberg; since 1989 Professor for Public Law at the University of Trier; Director of the Institute for European Constitutional Law and Director of the Institute for Legal Policy; Judge at the Administrative Court of Appeals Rhineland-Palatine; OSCE Expert Panel Member for religious freedom.

From Booklist:

According to the introduction, every nation has a constitution or a set of documents that serves as one. In each of these, the fundamental "rules" of the country--the defining principals of its government--are laid out in one form or another. It would be difficult to make any other generalizations concerning these documents and the information they contain. Each is unique in itself, while performing a similar function. The very nature of the material makes it challenging for a casual or inexperienced researcher to make comparisons.

This set, in a sense, deconstructs these constitutions in a straightforward style. Entries for 194 countries are arranged A-Z. The articles for each country are signed and in many cases are written by scholars who specialize in the country they are writing about. The structure of each article follows a pattern designed to make it easy to compare information from one country to another. Each begins with a small collection of information about the country: name, capital, languages spoken, ethnic composition, type of government, and date of constitution, among others. A brief overview of the country is followed by standard subsections: "Constitutional History," "Form and Impact of the Constitution," "Basic Organizational Structure," "Leading Constitutional Principles," "Constitutional Bodies," and so on. Articles range from 4 to 13 pages in length, and each concludes with links to the text of the constitution in its original language (and, if needed, an English translation) and secondary sources for further reading.

At the end of volume 3 are several useful appendixes. One gives the same kind of constitutional information for the European Union, and the second provides a list and description of "Special Territories" such as Antarctica, the Cook Islands, Guam, and the Isle of Man. The third is a glossary of terms.

This is a useful reference source, essential for academic and large public libraries and any collection stressing international politics. Danise Hoover
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