DES0229 - Brazilian Constitutional Law in Comparative Perspective (2026)

This course aims to provide an overview of the main components of the Brazilian 1988 Constitution and its main institutional practices and constitutional doctrines, by comparing it with the constitutional experiences of other countries. The Brazilian constitutional system will thus be presented and analyzed through a broader lens that includes similar and different foreign experiences. The comparative approach includes both institutional and substantive issues. The institutional aspect includes federalism and the legislative, executive and judicial branches. The substantive aspect aims at comparing fundamental rights and their enforcement, with a special focus on the jurisprudence of supreme and constitutional courts. The course is open to both foreign and Brazilian students. Students are expected to have some prior knowledge of their respective constitutional systems.