Overview

This insightful book analyses regional constitutional crises, where a large portion of residents no longer believe that the rule of law, as defined by central institutions, governs them. Laying out a framework for effective governance in divided societies, Vito Breda argues that peace and collaboration are linked to managing shared beliefs through constitutional law. Adopting a pragmatic view of regional identity as constantly changing and creating a mistrust of rule by ‘others’, Breda explores a wide range of case studies, including Hong Kong, Northern Ireland and Quebec, where nationalism and political violence have led to state actions becoming discredited. Particular attention is paid to those concerned with the lingering effects of a colonial past in China. The book demonstrates that constitutional law projects visions of what a society is and wants to be, and argues that less hegemonic perspectives increase the likelihood of cooperation, leading to better outcomes for all citizens. The book will be an informative read for academics and students in comparative public law political scientists, and sociologists interested in nationalism and democracy. It will also aid policy-makers seeking to design stable, effective and inclusive constitutions.

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9781839107092

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Reviews

‘This book by Vito Breda constitutes a major exploration of a series of ethno-regionalism cases in Europe, North America, East Asia and Oceania through the lenses of constitutionalism and territorial politics. The author convincingly illustrates how cooperation among groups, respect between key political partners, and the protection of human dignity contribute to create the necessary conditions for political stability and reciprocity. Complementary to this sustained account, a crucial point is made to the effect that permanent negotiations among political partners open the way to the expansion of the democratic exercise while instilling a culture of togetherness. A must-read for anyone interested in the development of multinational democracies.’ -- Alain-G. Gagnon, Université du Québec à Montréal, Canada ‘Regionalism is in the midst of a renaissance, and there is no scholar better than Vito Breda to assess the challenges and opportunities regionalism raises for constitutional stability and performance. Timely and inspired, this study of sub-state identity-formation exposes deep fissures in multinational societies but charts a hopeful path for managing regional constitutional crises.’BR> -- Richard Albert, University of Texas, US ‘Complex realities require complex analyses and cannot be solved with simplism. The current crises need thoughtful and in-depth research to shed light on the intense fog in which they seem to exist. Vito Breda's latest book analyzes and illuminates some of the most important problems of current constitutionalism and regionalisms that sometimes attack the status quo. It offers a perspective far beyond the usual and fascinating points of view. Very useful to understand the world where we live.’ -- Iñigo Navarro Mendizabal, Universidad Pontificia Comillas, Spain ‘In his latest book, constitutional scholar Vito Breda once again draws on his broad erudition to construct a comprehensively researched, insightful and often startlingly original take on his subject. Breda is a skilled mosaicist: he relies on case studies from several continents to produce both a rich and a conceptually deep image of how constitutionalism, regionalism and conflict intersect around the world.’ -- Ron Levy, Australian National University, Australia.

'Complex realities require complex analyses and cannot be solved with simplism. The current crises need thoughtful and in-depth research to shed light on the intense fog in which they seem to exist. Vito Breda's latest book analyzes and illuminates some of the most important problems of current constitutionalism and regionalisms that sometimes attack the status quo. It offers a perspective far beyond the usual and fascinating points of view. Very useful to understand the world where we live.' -- Inigo Navarro Mendizabal, Universidad Pontificia Comillas, Spain 'In his latest book, constitutional scholar Vito Breda once again draws on his broad erudition to construct a comprehensively researched, insightful and often startlingly original take on his subject. Breda is a skilled mosaicist: he relies on case studies from several continents to produce both a rich and a conceptually deep image of how constitutionalism, regionalism and conflict intersect around the world.' -- Ron Levy, Australian National University, Australia.

Author Information

Vito Breda, Senior Lecturer in Law, School of Law and Justice, University of Southern Queensland, Australia

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