Constitutional courts in Asia: a comparative perspective

The founding of a constitutional court is often an indication of a chosen path of constitutionalism and democracy. It is no coincidence that most of the constitutional courts in East and Southeast Asia were established at the same time as the transition of the countries concerned from authoritarianism to liberal constitutional democracy. This book is the first to provide systematic narratives and analysis of Asian experiences of constitutional courts and related developments, and to introduce comparative, historical and theoretical perspectives on these experiences, as well as debates on the relevant issues in countries that do not as yet have constitutional courts. This volume makes a significant contribution to the systematic and comparative study of constitutional courts, constitutional adjudication and constitutional developments in East and Southeast Asia and beyond.

Preface --Constitutional courts in Asia : Western origins and Asian practice /Albert H. Y. Chen --Constitutional review in Asia : a comparative perspective /Cheryl Saunders --The informal dimension of constitutional politics in Asia : insights from the Philippines and Indonesia /Björn Dressel --Towards more intra-Asian judicial cooperation in the constitutional sphere /Maartje de Visser --An evolving court with changing functions : the Constitutional Court and judicial review in Taiwan /Jiunn-Rong Yeh and Wen-Chen Chang --Constitutional Court of Korea : guardian of the constiution or mouthpiece of the government? /Chaihark Hahm --Avoiding rights : the constitutional tsets of Mongolia /Tom Ginsburg and Chimid Enhbaatar --The Constitutional Court of Thailand : from activism to arbitrariness /Khemthong Tonsakulrungruang --Indonesia's Constitutional Court and Indonesia's electoral system /Simon Butt --Constitutional Council of Cambodia at the age of majority : a history of weathering the rule of law storms in peacetime /Teilee Kuong --The short but turbulent history of Myanmmar's Constitutional Tribunal /Andrew Harding --The Supreme Court of Japan : a judicial court, not necessarily a constitutional court /Yasou Hasebe --Establishing judicial review in China : impediments and prospects /Qianfan Zhang --Why do countries decide not to adopt constitutional review? : the case of Vietnam /Ngoc Son Bui.