Speaker: Prof. Maxwell Cameron, University of British Colombia
Date: Wednesday 3 July 2013
Time: 6.00-8 pm
Location: Columbia House (COL) 2.01
Chair: George Philip, Department of Government
The separation of powers is an idea with ancient origins, but it is often relegated to legal doctrine, public philosophy, or the history of ideas. Strong Constitutions boldly places the separation of powers on a social scientific footing, arguing that it emerged with the spread of literacy, became central to constitutional thought after the Gutenberg revolution, and faces unprecedented challenges in our current era of electronic communication. By linking the separation of powers to social-cognitive changes associated with the evolving forms of communication, the book suggests new ways of thinking about constitutionalism.
Constitutional states use texts to coordinate collective action, and they do so by creating governmental agencies with specific jurisdiction and competence over distinct types of power. Cameron argues that constitutional states are not weaker because their powers are separated, but that they are generally stronger because they solve collective action problems rooted in speech and communication. The book is a must read for anyone interested in the separation of powers, its origin, evolution, and consequences.
Speaker biography
Maxwell A. Cameron teaches at the University of British Columbia in the Department of Political Science where he directs the Centre for the Study of Democratic Institutions (CSDI). His research and teaching focuses on problems of democracy and constitutionalism, with a focus on the separation of powers.