Category Archives: Reviews

Review of Gee & Webber’s “What Is a Political Constitution?” and Some More Thoughts on the Nature of Constitutional Conventions

Posted on 2021/11/22 by J.W.J. Bowden

Constitutional Norms in the United States vs Constitutional Conventions in Canada I’ve been mulling overGould’s article “Codifying Constitutional Norms” (in the United States) and about constitutional norms in the American versus Canadian systems of government a bit more over the … Continue reading →

Posted in Articles and Books, Codifying Norms in the US, Comparative, Constitution (Written), Constitutional Conventions, Division of Powers, Parliamentarism v Presidentialism, Reviews | 2 Comments

Constitutional Conventions in the United States: Some Thoughts on Jonathan Gould’s “Codifying Constitutional Norms”

Posted on 2021/10/31 by J.W.J. Bowden

Introduction As of 2021, I have been writing scholarly journal articles and blogging here on Parliamentum for ten years. What I find most interesting is seeing how my earlier works have influenced or been used by other scholars, in some … Continue reading →

Posted in Articles and Books, Codification of Convention, Codifying Norms in the US, Comparative, Constitutional Conventions, Officialization of Convention, Parliamentarism v Presidentialism, Reviews | 1 Comment

When Hollywood Screenwriters Don’t Understand How Parliamentary Government Works

Posted on 2020/03/01 by J.W.J. Bowden

The plots of some films hinge upon fundamental misunderstandings of how parliamentary government works, and I thought that outlining an example would prove both entertaining and instructive. Sherlock Holmes from 2009, directed by Guy Ritchie and starring Jude Law and … Continue reading →

Posted in Film & Television, Humour, Reviews | 9 Comments

A Review of the Play 1979 and Joe Clark’s Legacy

Posted on 2017/08/10 by J.W.J. Bowden

Structure and Overview of 1979 On 28 April 2017, I saw 1979, a play written by the capable Michael Healey about the events leading to the defeat of Joe Clark’s short-lived ministry. The play took place at the Great Canadian … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews | 2 Comments

Some Thoughts on National Parks in Canada and the United States

Posted on 2017/03/13 by J.W.J. Bowden

I just overdosed on pseudo-profound American exceptionalism and Tocqueville-inspired democracy babble in this preview for Ken Burns’s PBS documentary on America’s national parks. I thoroughly enjoyed Burns’s documentaries on the US Civil War, Prohibition, and the Roosevelts, but based on … Continue reading →

Posted in Documentaries, History of British North America, Random Thoughts | Leave a comment