Abstract
The article discusses conceptually, comparatively, and normatively the phenomenon of transformative constitutionalism (TC), understood as a project of social transformation through constitutional law. Presenting an overview of the experiences of the phenomenon in Latin America, as well as in other countries such as South Africa, the paper discusses the relationship between CT and the institutions necessary to fulfill its promises. We adopt a broader institutional perspective on the phenomenon, by discussing recent theories that criticize the exclusive focus on rights and judicial institutions, and by bringing into the debate the reform of political decision-making processes and the creation of inclusive institutions as ways of achieving the transformative project itself. Finally, we discuss potential tensions between certain conceptions of TC and the very idea of democracy, pointing to the risks of conceiving transformative constitutionalism as a kind of "judicial social engineering.”
Keywords:
Transformative constitutionalism; democracy; Comparative constitutional law; Constitutional theory; constitutional courts