The field of comparative constitutional law has seen increasing academic interest in recent times, not least because of its considerable practical relevance. When confronted with questions concerning the drafting and interpretation of constitutions, government officials and high court judges increasingly look abroad for assistance and inspiration. Certain key constitutional principles and guarantees have come to be considered as widely accepted in spite of the prevailing differences between legal cultures. In other cases, states which have experienced internal disturbances and seek to draft a new (or revise an existing) constitution frequently look to other countries' constitutions and overall constitutional trends for inspiration and orientation. In spite of the widely acknowledged societal relevance of the emerging field, reference works are few. The situation is complicated by the fact that the field of comparative constitutional law has attracted lawyers, sociologists and political scientists alike with divergent objectives and seemingly incompatible methodological approaches, leading to a considerable fragmentation of research. The Max Planck Encyclopedia of Comparative Constitutional Law seeks to overcome these difficulties by offering a comprehensive and inclusive comparative survey of the topics and trends which dominate modern constitutional law, a survey which allows scholars and researchers to study constitutional issues both in-depth and in context (historical, conceptual, regional) and highlights the manifold interdisciplinary aspects of contemporary constitutional law. In approximately 500-550 peer-reviewed entries, it will cover all areas of constitutional law from a comparative perspective, involving high-level lawyers and social scientists who represent all legal cultures, and giving due regard to the various methodologies of comparative constitutional law and regionally specific developments. Its purpose is to serve as a go-to source for constitutional scholars and practitioners everywhere.
An Advisory Board provides advice with regard to the conceptual development of the Encyclopedia, the selection of key words and the review of submissions. The Enyclopedia is published by Oxford University Press online, starting in April 2017. As of 31 December 2023, 379 articles had been published (http://oxcon/ouplaw.com/home/MPECCOL). A print version of the Encyclopedia will be published later, once the online version nears completion.
The General Editors of the Encyclopedia, whose launch was supported by a grant of the Thyssen Foundation, are Rainer Grote, Frauke Lachenmann and Rüdiger Wolfrum.
Publication: Max Planck Encyclopedia of Comparative Constitutional Law (MPECCoL), Oxford University Press
