Description

This talk provides a survey and definition of the field of Commonwealth constitutional history since 1918, especially during and after global decolonisation. It asks what is Commonwealth constitutional history and how it differs from its English and Imperial counterparts. The talk puts forward a working definition of Commonwealth constitutional history and introduces key and diverse writers who illustrate the range and potential of this history to better understand constitution-making. The article provides an historiography and survey of constitutional history in the Pre-Commonwealth and Post-war Commonwealth periods while also assessing the opportunities of Post-British Commonwealth constitutional history. The objectives of this talk are firstly to show how Commonwealth constitutional history can contribute to the historical and legal study of state power; secondly to highlight the range and comparative importance of such examination; and finally how such analysis of the Commonwealth constitutional history can aid a better understanding of the roots and legacies of constitution-making.   In addition, the talk will discuss the noted constitutional scholar and constitution-maker, Sir Ivor Jennings, and his work and role in Singapore.

About The Speaker

Dr Harshan Kumarasingham is from New Zealand where he read History and Politics completing his doctorate in Comparative Politics at Victoria University of Wellington. His wide-ranging work straddles the disciplines of Politics, History and Law, covering British Politics and History; Comparative Politics and History, particularly of the former British Empire and Commonwealth; South Asian studies; Constitutional history and politics; Executive Power; State-Building and Decolonization; Parliamentary issues; the Crown; and the Westminster model and its export across the world. Before joining Edinburgh Harshan held many international appointments including Smuts Fellow in Commonwealth Studies at the University of Cambridge, Alexander von Humboldt Fellow and Lecturer in Comparative Politics at Ludwig Maximilan University in Munich, Rydon Fellow at King’s College London and Endeavour Research Fellow at the University of Sydney. He remains a Senior Research Fellow at the Institute of Commonwealth Studies, University of London and also sits on their Advisory Board. He is also an Affiliated Scholar at the Centre of South Asian Studies, University of Cambridge. He also co-convenes the University of Edinburgh’s Keith Forum on Commonwealth Constitutionalism.