Constitutionalism - old concepts, new worlds

This volume contains the German contributions to the Sixth World Congress of the International Association of Constitu-tional Law, which took place in Santiago de Chile from 12 January to 16 January 2004. The Congress covered a variety of current scientific and practical discussions about the world's constitutions and their reforms. The Congress for instance discussed the problem of a constitutional recognition of minority rights. Another workshop tried to elucidate the influence of older constitutional models on the process of revising or remaking newer constitutions. Another topic related to the relationship between constitutional protections of the freedom of expression or privacy and the internet. A further workshop explored the impact of constitutional human rights norms on legislation within fields of private law. The Congress also dealt with the meaning and incidents of a constitutional right to self-determination and the various techniques by which economic, social and cultural rights have been constitutionalized. Another workshop covered the issue of local democracy and representation as a consequence of federalism, decentralization and international obligations. Although constitutions respond to national circumstances, their substance is increasingly constrained by external topics, another current development of constitutional law. Another focus of discussion centered on the question as to what extent migrants should be required to conform to the majority's constitutional values or to what extent their difference should be respected. A further workshop dealt with unwritten constitutional norms and principles in common law as well as civil law systems. In the present volume these topics will be mirrored from a German or European perspective.