A critical analysis of Ran Hirschl's theory of 'constitutional theocracy' from the perspective of the Arab Spring.
In a much discussed recent book, Ran Hirschl has claimed that there is a tendency to include in constitutions strongly religious language and that particularly in the Muslim world, we are witnessing calls for what he calls 'constitutional theocracy.' If Hirschl's characterization of current trends is correct, we should expect the Arab Spring to lead to the further embedding of 'constitutional theocracy'. Professor Clark Lombardi argues that we will need a more nuanced model of constitutionalized religion if we are adequately to describe what has been occurring in the Middle East and what is likely to happen in the wake of the Arab Spring.
