CALS Deputy Director, Assistant Professor Dian A H Shah, has published her article “Dismantling democratic change in Asia: Modalities and weapons of choice” in the International Journal of Constitutional Law

CALS Deputy Director, Assistant Professor Dian A H Shah, has published her article “Dismantling democratic change in Asia: Modalities and weapons of choice” in the International Journal of Constitutional Law.

Drawing on illustrations from various jurisdictions across South Asia and Southeast Asia, this article explores how political actors have assaulted and eroded democratic constitutional commitments following political change, even when—in some cases—they pledged to uphold constitutional democracy.  The article thus illustrates that the dismantling of democratic change in Asia is multi-dimensional and that it reflects three main imperatives: consolidation (of political authority), dissolution (of institutional accountability), and suppression (of political competition). It also brings to light the range of actors involved and tools used in the dismantling process. Crucially, this article highlights that constitutional amendments have not been a pervasive “weapon of choice” in targeting democratic commitments; instead, anti-democrats have utilized ordinary legislation, nonjudicial interpretation, and incremental changes in political conventions. Ultimately, as this article shows both explicitly and implicitly, “variety”—in imperatives, actors, tools, and interests at stake—is a key aspect to consider in understanding, identifying, and suppressing efforts to dismantle Asia’s democratic change.

To read the article visit: https://doi.org/10.1093/icon/moae088

For more information about the author, please visit her web profile at: https://law.nus.edu.sg/people/dian-a-h-shah/