Mexico City, June 18, 2024.— Study abroad experiences are essential for academics, as they allow them to acquire knowledge and skills, expand their professional network, advance their careers, and grow personally. Such was the case for Dr. Jaime Olaiz González, a research professor at the Law School at the Universidad Panamericana, who recently had the opportunity to join the Kellogg Institute of International Studies as a Fulbright-García Robles COMEXUS Fulbright-García Robles COMEXUS at the University of Notre Dame.
World-class experience
Jaime explains that this opportunity arose because, as a former Fulbright-García Robles scholar, he receives the calls for applications issued by COMEXUS for various programs. Thus, because of his current research projects on constitutional change, he decided to apply for the fellowships offered by the University of Notre Dame and the University of Texas at Austin. “In the end, I was selected as a visiting fellow at the Kellogg Institute for International Studies at the University of Notre Dame, ”he recalls.
This institution is distinguished by its strong Christian identity, which shapes all of its academic and research activities and establishes it as a world-class university. For this reason, Panamericana has been closely following its work for years.
It was because of this shared institutional interest and sense of connection that the scholar saw it as an excellent opportunity to spend a semester learning from them and helping to foster closer ties and collaboration between the Panamericana and Notre Dame.
“It was a unique opportunity because it allowed me to pursue a master’s degree at Yale Law School, which led to my admission into their doctoral program, and that experience was instrumental in shaping me as a professor and researcher,” he explains.
Constitutional setbacks
During his semester at the Kellogg Institute at the University of Notre Dame, Dr. Olaiz’s research project focused on two main topics.
One was an analysis of the growing conflict between political majorities and the provisions of the Constitution, and the impact this has on the erosion of the institutions that underpin the democratic system and the rule of law; the second was an attempt to identify comparable experiences that have successfully halted these regressive or degenerative processes.
He also adds that he has been working on a research project that addresses a growing concern regarding the inability in Mexico to determine the (un)constitutionality of aconstitutional amendment approved by theconstitutional amendment authority.
“In short, I have sought to answer the question:Is there any safeguard against a constitutional amendment that meets all the procedural requirements established by the Constitution itself, but which alters or changes fundamental aspects of the constitutional text, such as the principle of pro persona and the protection of human rights, the democratic and republican form of government, or the federal character of the Mexican State?” he asks.
Study of Constitutional Change
The scholar notes that, since his doctoral studies and the writing of his dissertation, he has devoted himself to the study of constitutional change from a comparative perspective, and currently the so-called “abusive constitutionalism” is one of the central concerns in discussions of contemporary constitutional theory.”
Similarly, it reveals that the process of determining, within each jurisdiction, what constitutes constitutional identity is essential for identifying those provisions, principles, and values of the Constitution that cannot be altered, even by supermajority parliamentary coalitions.
He explains: “In this regard, I have been able to present my research at the work-in-progress seminar organized by the Kellogg Institute for its faculty and visiting fellows, with Professors Aníbal Pérez Liñán, Diane Desierto, and Francisco Urbina serving as discussants, among others.”
In addition, the Panamericana Law School and the Kellogg Institute jointly organized a conference on the state of democracy and constitutionalism in Mexico ahead of this year’s federal elections, featuring Minister Alfredo Gutiérrez Ortiz Mena, José Antonio Meade, and Francisca Pou Giménez.
An opportunity to broaden your horizons
Jaime has studied at institutions in the United States, Chile, and elsewhere.Speaking about these experiences, he says, “Engaging with other colleagues and sharing experiences allows you to broaden not only your perspectives but also the way you conduct your research.”
He adds that“it also helps you join working groups with shared intellectual interests that are involved in various international academic activities, fostering ongoing dialogue and the development of joint research projects.”
Regarding his academic stay at the Kellogg Institute, he says: “It has allowed me to learn about the work of colleagues from other disciplines and to appreciate the contributions those fields can make to research in the science of law. These exchanges and lessons enable you to tailor your work to audiences outside your own area of expertise or discipline.”
Future Plans
Dr. Olaiz notes that, following his stay at the University of Notre Dame, he has been able to join a new academic network within the Kellogg Institute, through which he intends to continue developing various research projects and, above all, to establish institutional channels of collaboration with the Pan-American University that will enable more faculty and students to benefit from an international experience of this kind.
She also adds that during that visit, she received an invitation to serve as a Visiting Resource Professor at the Teresa Lozano Long Institute of Latin American Studies (LLILAS) at the University of Texas at Austin to teach a course in December of this year on constitutional change in Mexico as part of the program “Constitutional Amendments in the U.S. and the World,” directed by Professor Richard Albert, with whom he is currently working on two research projects: one on constitutional multi-textualism and another on constitutional dismemberment in Latin America.
Without a doubt, Dr. Olaiz’s experience underscores the importance of academic stays abroad as a means of fostering the exchange of ideas, enriching knowledge, and strengthening connections between educational institutions worldwide.
Learn more about this scholar at: https://www.up.edu.mx/investigacion/jaime-olaiz-gonzalez/?asp_highlight=Jaime+olaiz+gonz%C3%A1lez&p_asid=6
