Présentation de l’éditeur

In Constitutional Culture, Independence, and Rights, Javier García Oliva and Helen Hall coin the term "constitutional culture" to encapsulate the collective rules and expectations that govern the collective life within a jurisdiction. Significantly, these shared norms have both legal and social elements, including matters as diverse as standards of parenting, the modus operandi of police officers, and taboos around sexuality. Using Quebec, Scotland, and Catalonia as case studies, the book delves into what these constitutional battles mean for the rights, identity, and needs of everyday people, and it powerfully demonstrates why the hypothetical future independence of these regions would have far-reaching practical consequences, beyond the realm of political structures and academic theory.

The book does not present a magic bullet to resolve debates around independence – this is not its purpose, and the text in fact demonstrates why there is no objectively optimal approach in any or all contexts. Instead, it seeks to shed light on aspects of these situations often overlooked in discussions around the fate of nations, and it addresses what the consequences of constitutional paradigm shifts might be for individuals. Constitutional culture is a complex web of interconnected understandings and behaviours, and the vibrations from shaking or cutting a fundamental strand will be felt throughout the structure.

Sommaire

Introduction

1. Constitutions and Constitutional Culture

Roadmap for Chapter 1
What Is a Constitution in Legal Terms
Constitutional Frameworks and the Concept of Constitutional Culture
Conclusion: The Relevance of Constitutional Culture for Our Study

2. The Historical Evolution of Constitutional Culture

Introduction
Scotland and the United Kingdom
Spain and Catalonia
Quebec and Canada
Conclusion: A Meeting of the Ways

3. Contemporary Constitutional Frameworks and Culture

Introduction
Scotland and the United Kingdom
Spain and Catalonia: Overview and Territorial Structure
Quebec and Canada: Regulation of Powers
Conclusion

4. Constitutional Culture and Rights

Introduction
Methodology
Children’s Rights
Language and Education
Religion
Rights Relating to Gender and Sexuality
Conclusion

5. Constitutional Culture: Legal Ecosystems and Basic Rights

Introduction
Constitutional Culture and Legal Ecosystems
Basic Rights and Sovereignty
Dual Considerations: Sovereignty and Legal Ecosystems
Rebalancing of Priorities: Winners and Losers
Rejecting Stasis
Conclusion

Conclusion