First Assignments
My duties at IDEA's Hague office are split in two. I spend half of my time working on ConstitutionNet, IDEA's website resource for lawyers, politicians, and all those involved in constitution building processes. I help edit articles for publication on the website and design new systems for content publication. Reading and editing articles written by experts from around the world allows me to learn something new every day, particularly about constitutional amendment in other countries. Recent articles include writing on constitution drafting in Thailand and reflections on Zimbabwe's new constitution.
I spend the remainder of the time working on a book describing constitutional review in West Africa. In editing and fact-checking the book, I've had to examine the constitutions of Senegal, Liberia, Benin, and Nigeria, to name a few. I learned the differences between judicial/constitutional review by a supreme court, constitutional court, and a constitutional council. Coming from the States, it's easy to forget that the US system of judicial (constitutional) review is not an international norm. Many nations create a seperate judicial body with the sole mandate of reviewing the constitutionality issues.
With assignments as interesting as this, no part of the day seems like work.