Centuries ago, Confucian was a dominant ideology that once swept through ancient China and even East Asia at large. Anything but creaky, the school of thought still stands today. With expertise in political theory, Professor KIM Sungmoon, Associate Dean (Postgraduate Studies) of the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences and Chair Professor of Department of Public and International Affairs, seeks to unfold its close ties to the political ecosystem nowadays.

In Prof Kim’s latest book, he puts forward a robust normative theory of Confucian democratic constitutionalism. This book spells out the reinvention of the old Chinese ideal, adapting to the contemporary context marked by value pluralism and moral disagreement. From the China model to the systems of strong-form judicial review, he constructs an alternative constitutional vision to demonstrate its nuances and implications. It fills the gaps between the traditional and modern Confucian discourses of constitutionalism and the contemporary theory of Confucian constitutionalism. 

Besides the publication, Prof Kim shared the wisdom of his publication in the book symposium in Oxford Programme in Asian Laws Series at Oxford University’s St Hugh's College on 10 November 2023. As one of the speakers, Prof Kim had an insightful discussion with three Oxford Law faculty members, adding new ideas to Confucian political theory and comparative law through multicultural lens and interdisciplinary approach.

Confucian Constitutionalism: Dignity, Rights, and Democracy

By Kim Sungmoon
Chair Professor
Department of Public and International Affairs
City University of Hong Kong

ISBN: 9780197630617 (Print)
Published by Oxford University Press