Pluralist Constitutions in Southeast Asia [Hardcover]

This book examines the presence of ethnic, religious, political, and ideational pluralities in Southeast Asian societies and how their respective constitutions respond to these pluralities. Countries covered in this book are Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. The chapters examine: first, the range of pluralist constitutional values and ideas embodied in the constitutions; secondly, the pluralist sources of constitutional norms; thirdly, the design of constitutional structures responding to various pluralities; and fourthly, the construction and interpretation of bills of rights in response to existing pluralities. The 'pluralist constitution' is thus one that recognises internal pluralities within society and makes arrangements to accommodate, rather than eliminate, these pluralities.

Jaclyn L Neo is an Associate Professor at the Faculty of Law, National University of Singapore.
Bui Ngoc Son is an Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Law, Chinese University of Hong Kong.

The editors and authors have produced a very worthwhile volume, which makes a wonderful contribution to Hart'sConstitutionalism in Asiaseries. Written in accessible language, this book might be expected to operate as a gateway for its readership  which, at the very least, includes legal scholars, political scientists and students ... The editors and authors deserve rich praise for putting together such an excellent book. Simon Butt,Australian Journal of Asian Law

1.Pluralist Constitutions and the Southeast Asian Context
Jaclyn L. Neo and Bui Ngoc Son
2.Constitutionalising Multiple Pluralities in Malaysia
Dian A. H. Shah
3.The Imperative of Integrative Pluralist Constitutionalism: Going Beyond Formal Equality, Eschewing Rights, and Accommodation of Differences in Singapore
Eugene K B Tan
4.Pluralism in Brunei's Constitution? Ethnicity, ReliglƒŒ