Presentation

Constitutionalism, understood as a means of establishing a political sphere autonomous from society, is seen as having constructed the opposition between the state and society. At the same time, the concept of constitutionalism is increasingly being used to describe other forms of social power and normativity – such as the economy, finance, digital technologies, media, and environment – even though the concrete and theoretical implications of these shifts have not always been fully clarified. More recent trends have emerged within the framework of socio-constitutionalism or societal constitutionalism to challenge the reduction of constitutional issues to state-individual relations, acknowledging the complexity of power. Despite their heterogeneity in assumptions, as well as in their descriptive, normative, and theoretical dimensions, these approaches have contributed to renewing the inquiry into the relationship between constitution and society. The purpose of the conference is to assess the current boundaries of constitutionalism and to explore theoretical proposals seeking to overcome them. These approaches raise several fundamental questions: What role should be granted to social actors and sectors within constitutionalism? How can their normative autonomy be acknowledged while also regulating their private power and expansionist tendencies? To what extent do these transformations challenge traditional forms of politics? At what cost might the relationship between constitution and society be reconsidered today?

Program

29 janvier 2026

9:00 | Welcome

9:30 | Introduction
Manon Altwegg-Boussac (Université Paris-Est Créteil/IUF) et Sabina Tortorella (MSCA/Université de Namur)

Session : From State to Society: New Challenges for Constitutionalism

Chair : Isabelle Aubert (Université Paris Panthéon-Sorbonne)

10:00 | Relationships between Constitution and Society
Thomas Boccon-Gibod (Université Grenoble Alpes)

10:30 | Constitutionalising Society in an Age of Fragmented Authority: From State-Centrism to Social Constitutional Norms
Simone Mao Zhenting (Université Harvard)

11:00 | Discussion

11:30 | Coffee Break

12:00 | Societal Constitutionalism and General Theory of Law (beyond the State): Norm, Order, Interpretation
Angelo Jr Golia (Luiss Guido Carli)

12:30 | Discussion

12:45 | Lunch

Session : Moving Beyond the Nation-State: Theoretical Perspectives

Chair : Eleonora Bottini (Sciences Po)

14:30 | Politics below and beyond the State: Schmitt and Kojève in Comparative Perspective
Jean-François Kervégan (Université Paris Panthéon-Sorbonne)

15:00 | Postnational Society and its Law
Paul Linden-Retek (University at Buffalo School of Law)

15:30 | Discussion

16:00 | Coffee Break

Session : New Conceptual Tools: Alterity and Derogation

Chair : Eleonora Bottini (Sciences Po)

16:30 | On the Borderline (and beyond the State): Ontologizing Alterity on the Terms of the Law
Horatia Muir Watt (Sciences Po)

17:00 | Derogation as Legal Response to Social Differentiation
Raffaele Bifulco (Luiss Guido Carli)

17:30 | Discussion

18:00 : Dinner

30 janvier 2026

9:00 | Welcome

Session : Mapping Sectoral Constitutions: Case Studies

Chair : Sabina Tortorella (MSCA/Université de Namur)

9:30 | Trust and Distrust. State, Society and Money at the Digital Era
Francesco Martucci (Université Panthéon-Assas)

10:00 | Exploring Constitutional Narratives in Meta's Oversight Board: Replicating or Renewing Traditional Constitutionalism?
Nefeli Lefkopoulou (Sciences Po)

10:30 | Discussion

11:00 | Coffee Break

11:30 | Global Climate Constitutionalism beyond the State?
Manuela Niehaus (Université des Sciences Administratives de Spire)

12:00 | The Debated Protection of Constitutional Rights within Social Orders beyond the State. The Example of Gated Communities
Mathilde Laporte (Université de Pau)

12:30 | Discussion

13:00 | Lunch

Session : Critical Insights: Take the Leap?

Chair : Manon Altwegg-Boussac (Université Paris-Est Créteil/IUF)

14:30 | Chris Thornhill (Université de Birmingham) : The Military in Sociological Constitutionalism

15:00 | Discussion

15:15 | Coffee Break

15:45 | Regression and Progress in Constitutionalism beyond the State
Jörn Reinhardt (Université des Sciences Appliquées de Fulda)

16:15 | The Concept of Constitution
Martin Loughlin (LSE)

16:45 | Discussion

17:15 | Cocktail

The event is open to the public and free of charge. It will take place both in person and online. To attend remotely, please contact the organisers.

This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant agreement No 101150961. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily re‑ect those of the European Union or European Union’s Horizon Europe. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.