Hierarchy of Norms

Hierarchy of Norms

Theories Concerning the Hierarchy of Norms

In relation to the theories concerning the hierarchy of norms and constitutional law, Cesare Pinelli[1] made the following observation: Conflicts between norms arise within a legal system, and between legal systems, when two norms addressing the same issue are held to be mutually incompatible. When a ruling needs to be made on a given issue, judges have to decide between the two conflicting norms. In legal discourse, ‘hierarchy of norms’ is one of the main criteria for managing such conflicts, or rules of collision, and consists in giving prevalence to one norm over the other due to its alleged superiority. In instances in which it can, eg, be assumed that the constitution prevails over (…)

Hierarchy of Norms

Embracing mainstream international law, this section on hierarchy of norms explores the context, history and effect of the area of the law covered here.

Resources

Further Reading

  • The entry “hierarchy of norms” in the Parry and Grant Encyclopaedic Dictionary of International Law (currently, the Encyclopaedic Dictionary of International Law, 2009), Oxford University Press

Resources

Notes and References

  1. Max Planck Encyclopedia of Comparative Constitutional Law, Cesare Pinelli, “Theories Concerning the Hierarchy of Norms” (2018, Germany, United Kingdom)

See Also

  • Constitutional interpretation
  • Constitutional Form
  • Constitutional Substance
  • International law

Further Reading

Al-Ali, Z (2011). ‘Constitutional Drafting and External Influence’ in Ginsburg, T & Dixon, R (eds), Comparative Constitutional Law (Cheltenham, Elgar), 77 – 95.
Auby, J-B (2010). La globalisation, le droit et l’Etat (2nd edn, Paris, LGDJ).
Chimni, BS (2006). ‘Third World Approaches to International Law: A Manifesto’, International Community Law Review 8: 3 – 27.
Choudhry, S (ed) (2006). The Migration of Constitutional Ideas (Cambridge, Cambridge University Press).
Cottier, T & Wüger, D (1999). ‘Auswirkungen der Globalisierung auf das Verfassungsrecht: Eine Diskussionsgrundlage’ in Beat Sitter-Liver (ed), Herausgeforderte Verfassung: Die Schweiz im globalen Konzert (Freiburg, Universitätsverlag), 241 – 281.
de Sousa Santos, B & Rodríguez-Garavito, CA (2005). ‘Law, Politics, and the Subaltern in Counter-hegemonic Globalization’ in de Sousa Santos, B & Rodríguez-Garavito, CA (eds), Law and Globalization from Below: Towards a Cosmopolitan Legality (Cambridge, Cambridge University Press), 1 – 26.
Delmas-Marty, M (2006). Le pluralisme ordonné (Paris, Seuil).
du Plessis, L (2007). ‘International Law and the Evolution of (domestic) Human-rights Law in the Post-1994 South Africa’, in Nijman, J & Nollkaemper, A (eds), New Perspectives on the Divide between National and International Law (Oxford, Oxford University Press).
Franck, TM (1992). ‘The Emerging Right to Democratic Governance’, American Journal of International Law 86: 46 – 91.
Grewe, C (2009). ‘Constitutions nationales et droit de l’Union Européenne’, Répertoire Communautaire: 1 – 29.
Hirschl, R (2004). Towards Juristocracy: The Origins and Consequences of the New Constitutionalism (Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press).
Jackson, VC (2005). ‘Constitutional Comparisons: Convergence, Resistance, Engagement’, Harvard Law Review 119: 109 – 128.
Kaiser, K (1971). ‘Transnational Relations as a Threat to the Democratic Process’, International Organization 25: 706 – 720.
Kelly, JP (2008). ‘International Law and the Shrinking Space for Domestic Politics in Developing Countries’ in Andrews, PE & Bazilli, S (eds), Law and Rights: Global Perspectives on Constitutionalism and Governance (Lake Mary, FL, Vandeplas Publishing), 259 – 272.
Kumm, M (2009). ‘The Cosmopolitan Turn in Constitutionalism: On the Relationship Between Constitutionalism in and Beyond the State’ in Dunoff, JL & Trachtman, JP (eds), Ruling the World? International Law, Global Governance, Constitutionalism (Cambridge, Cambridge University Press), 258 – 326.
León, AQ (2005). ‘Relaciones entre el derecho internacional y el derecho interno: Nuevas perspectivas doctrinales y jurisprudenciales en el Ãmbito americano’, Ius et Praxis 11: 243 – 267.
Maliska, MA (2011). ‘Verfassung und normative Kooperation: Zum übergesetzlichen Status Internationaler Menschenrechtsverträge in Brasilien’, Verfassung und Recht in Übersee 44: 316 – 325.
Nollkaemper, A (2010). ‘Rethinking the Supremacy of International Law’, Zeitschrift für öffentliches Recht/Journal of Public Law 65: 65 – 85.
Pagliari, AS (2007). Curso de Derecho Internacional Publico (Cordoba, Advocatus).
Peters, A (2006). ‘Compensatory Constitutionalism: The Function and Potential of Fundamental International Norms and Structures’, Leiden Journal of International Law 19: 579 – 610.
Peters, A (2007). ‘The Globalization of State Constitutions’, Chapter 10 in Nijman, J & Nollkaemper, A (eds), New Perspectives on the Divide between National and International Law (Oxford, Oxford University Press), 251 – 308.
Peters, A (2009). ‘Supremacy Lost: International Law Meets Domestic Constitutional Law’, Vienna Online Journal on International Constitutional Law 3: 170 – 198.
Ramelli, A (2004). ‘Sistema de Fuentes de Derecho Internacional Público y ‘Bloque de Constitucionalidad’ en Colombia’, Cuestiones Constitucionales, Revista Mexicana de Derecho Constitucional 11: 157 – 175.
Schimmelfennig, F (2005). ‘Strategic Calculation and International Socialisation: Membership Initiatives, Party Constellations, and Sustained Compliance in Central and Eastern Europe’, International Organization 59: 827 – 860.
Slaughter, AM (2000). ‘Judicial Globalization’, Virginia Journal of International Law 40: 1103 – 1119.
Stone Sweet, A & Mathews, J (2008). ‘Proportionality Balancing and Global Constitutionalism’, Columbia Journal of Transnational Law 47: 72 – 164.
Thürer, D (2005). ‘Kosmopolitische Verfassungsentwicklungen’ in Thürer, D , Kosmopolitisches Staatsrecht (Zurich, Schulthess) vol 1, 3 – 39.
Tushnet, M (2003). The New Constitutional Order (Princeton, Princeton University Press).
Vereshtin, VS (1996). ‘New Constitutions and the Old Problem of the Relationship Between International Law and National Law’, European Journal of International Law 7: 29 – 41.
von Bogdandy, A & Schill, S (2011). ‘Overcoming Absolute Primacy: Respect for National Identity under the Lisbon Treaty’, Common Market Law Review 48: 1417 – 1453.
Wendel, M (2011). Permeabilität im europäischen Verfassungsrecht (Tübingen, Mohr Siebeck).
Additional reading
Albi, A (2005). EU Enlargement and the Constitutions of Central and Eastern Europe (Cambridge, Cambridge University Press).
Belaid, S (1998). ‘Droit international et droit constitutionnel: Les développements récents’ in Achour, RB & Laghmani, S (eds), Droit international et droits internes: Développements récents (Paris, Editions A Pedone), 47 – 79.
Bryde, B-O (2003). ‘Konstitutionalisierung des Völkerrechts und Internationalisierung des Verfassungsrechts’, Der Staat 42: 61 – 75.
Franck, TM & Thiruvengadam, AK (2003). ‘International Law and Constitution-Making’, Chinese Journal of International Law 2: 467 – 518.
Jyränki, A (ed) (1999). National Constitutions in the Era of Integration (The Hague, Kluwer).
Klabbers, J , Peters, A & Ulfstein, G (2009). The Constitutionalization of International Law (Oxford, Oxford University Press).
Levade, A & Betrand M (2006). ‘L’internationalisation du droit constitutionnel, acteurs, domaines, techniques’, Revue Européenne de Droit Public 18: 161 – 216.
Nollkaemper, A (2011). National Courts and the International Rule of Law (Oxford, Oxford University Press).
Sanzhuam, G (2009). ‘Implementation of Human Rights Treaties by Chinese Courts: Problems and Prospects’, Chinese Journal of International Law 8: 161 – 179.
Xue, H & Jin, Q (2009). ‘International Treaties in the Chinese Domestic Legal System’, Chinese Journal of International Law 8: 299 – 322.

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