The purpose of this introductory article is to put the constitutional reconstruction that followed the collapse of Communism in 1989 in historical and macrosociological perspective. The `new constitutionalism' is considered the novel feature of the post-1989 transition to democracy, and is analytically contrasted with the old constitutionalism and the classic idea of rule of law, and with the ideological constitution-making of the intervening era. The role of constitutional courts as the typical institution of the new constitutionalism is highlighted. The concept of `constitutional politics' is developed to throw light on the process of political reconstruction, and the variation in its interface with the law is considered along a spectrum ranging from the `judicialization of politics' to the `politicization of the judiciary'. Contemporary constitutional regimes are compared with respect to their distance from ideological politico-legal regimes, the extent to which the emergency powers of the head of the state creates a situation of `dual legality', and in terms of the contribution of their major institutions to the transition to democracy.
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