The project has two aims. One aim is to produce new knowledge of the national and international character and background of the Norwegian Constitutions of 1814. A priority is to institute research on the importance of international public law in establishing the new Norwegian state in 1814. The second aim is to contribute to further understanding of the development of constitutional history after 1814, by comparative and international analyses.
The last few decades have seen extensive international research on constitutions and on the history of international public law. This is partly due to the many bicentennial anniversaries for the oldest of the modern Western constitutions, and partly because of the new wave of constitutions after 1989. A further reason can be found in the debate about a constitutional treaty within the EU. These factors have helped triggering thinking on the historical and legal character of constitutions, and are inspiring the research group to do the same.
The project coincides with the joint research program set up by fellows at the three Norwegian faculties of law (
Current projects:
New Perspectives in Constitutional History (Dag Michalsen)
A historical commentary on the Constitution (Dag Michalsen and Ola Mestad)
The Project on the history of international and public law (Ola Mestad)
Participation in democratic theory and historical praxis (Christoffer Eriksen, Dag Michalsen
Cooperating projects:
The Rise of Constitutionalism
An international project lead from Germany. Professor Dag Michalsen is the Norwegian participant.