TOMORROW: The New Draft Constitution of Turkey
Neelanjan Sircar
Event: The New Draft Constitution of Turkey: International Conference
When: MONDAY, March 3, 2008 9am-6:30 pm
Where: International Affairs Building, Room 1501
Host: Center for the Study of Democracy, Toleration and Religion
Contact: Ahmet Kuru - ak2...@columbia.edu
The governing Justice and Development Party of Turkey (AKP) has
drafted a proposal for a new Turkish Constitution. This conference
will be the first in the world outside of Turkey to bring together the
key Turkish drafters with important non-Turkish theorists of
democratic constitutions and democratic practice.
9:15-9:45 Coffee and Rolls
9:45-10:00 Welcome and Introduction ? Professor Alfred Stepan
10:00-12:00 Session One: The Drafters' Proposed Amendments
Ergun Özbudun
The Main Drafter of the New Amendments
Professor of Law, Bilkent University
Dengir Mir Mehmet Firat
Deputy Chairman of the Justice and Development Party (AKP) and Member
of the Turkish Parliament
Cüneyt Yüksel
Member of the Turkish Parliament
12:00-2:00 ? Lunch
2:00-3:45 ? Session Two: Commentaries on Proposed Amendments by
Specialists in Democratic Politics and Democratic Constitutions
Alfred Stepan
Wallace S. Sayre Professor of Government and Democratization Specialist,
Columbia University
Andrew Arato
Currently Visiting Professor of Constitutional Law at Johann Wolfgang
Goethe University in Frankfurt, Germany
Riva Kastoryano
Director of Research CNRS ? CERI ? Sciences Po, Paris
Professor of Politics
3:45-4:15 ? Coffee Break
4:15-5:45 ? Session Three: Round Table with all Participants of
Session One and Two Followed by Questions from the Floor
5:45-6:30 ? Reception and Informal Press Conferences