Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®
Articles 1 - 3 of 3
Full-Text Articles in Law
One New President, One New Patriarch, And A Generous Disregard For The Constitution:, Robert C. Blitt
One New President, One New Patriarch, And A Generous Disregard For The Constitution:, Robert C. Blitt
Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law
The government of Russia and the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC)--the country's predominant religious group--recently underwent back-to-back changes in each institution's respective leadership. This coincidence of timing affords a unique opportunity to reassess the status of constitutional secularism and church-state relations in the Russian Federation. Following a discussion of the presidential and patriarchal elections that occurred between March 2008 and January 2009, the Article surveys recent developments in Russia as they relate to the nation's constitutional obligations. In the face of this analysis, the Article argues that the government and the ROC alike continue to willfully undermine the constitutional principles of …
Are We There Yet?: Measuring Success Of Constitutional Reform, Maria Dakolias
Are We There Yet?: Measuring Success Of Constitutional Reform, Maria Dakolias
Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law
Like many other countries in the world, the United Kingdom has been modernizing its constitutional arrangements. But unlike all other countries, there is no codified, written constitution. Since 1997, that unwritten constitution has undergone a radical overhaul. Taken together, the changes to systems and institutions represent the most sustained program of reform in the United Kingdom for a century. The main question is whether these reforms were successful. What does success mean? As is well known, implementation is the key to success. So evaluating the reforms and discussing successes and challenges are not only important for the U.K. internal dialogue …
Procedure As A Guarantee Of Democracy: The Legacy Of The Perestroika Parliament, Frances H. Foster
Procedure As A Guarantee Of Democracy: The Legacy Of The Perestroika Parliament, Frances H. Foster
Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law
In this Article, the author chronicles the rise and fall of the "perestroika parliament." While Gorbachev's reforms were ultimately unsuccessful in producing effective democratic representation, the author believes that the history of these reforms provides some valuable lessons for post-Soviet Russia. Specifically, Professor Foster concludes that current reformers in Russia should learn from the failed perestroika parliament that a democratic, "rule-of-law" state requires uniform lawmaking procedures with constitutional safeguards to guarantee their integrity.