Stretching The Constitution

What sort of methods are best suited to understanding constitutional doctrines and practices Should we look to lawyers and legal methods alone or should we draw upon other disciplines such as history sociology political theory and moral philosophy Should we study constitutions in isolation or in a comparative context To what extent must constitutional methods be sensitive to empirical data about the functioning of legal practice Can ideal theory aid our understanding of real constitutions This volume brings together constitutional experts from around the world to address these types of questions through topical events and challenges such as Brexit administrative law reforms and the increasing polarisations in law politics and constitutional scholarship. Importantly it investigates the ways in which we can ensure that constitutional scholars do not talk past each other despite their persistent and often fierce disagreements. In so doing it aims systematically to reexamine the methodology of constitutional theory.