Constitutional Crises: A Comparative and Empirical Account

In this paper, I offer a framework for identifying and analyzing constitutional crises. It suggests that there are two broad types of crises: one is a failure of the constitution to resolve particular conflicts while the other follows from an attack on the existing constitutional order. The paper also features findings from survey experiments conducted on the populations of twelve different countries, which seek to understand under which circumstances people support leaders who undermine the existing constitutional order. Ultimately, my goal is to not only clarify how and when crises occur, but also understand how they might be prevented.