For Professor Vanessa MacDonnell, the answer lies not only in our written laws, but in the unwritten norms and practices that shape how power is wielded.
Professor MacDonnell has been awarded the University Research Chair in Democratic Constitutionalism, which she will use to dive into the unwritten elements of Canada’s constitutional framework. Over the next five years, she will explore if and how these hidden guardrails can be mobilized to resist democratic decline.
Focusing on unwritten constitutional norms, executive power, and judicial independence, her work will generate new insights into how constitutional government is sustained in practice. The research will also equip equity-seeking groups with critical knowledge to help protect their rights in an evolving democratic landscape.
Professor MacDonnell is uniquely positioned to lead this work. As an internationally recognized expert in Canadian and comparative constitutional law, her scholarship explores the inner workings of state institutions and the balance between the executive, legislative, and judicial branches, combining doctrinal, comparative, theoretical, and empirical approaches. Her research has been published in leading journals and supported by major competitive funding, including a $1.7 million international grant on unwritten constitutionalism.
Since joining the University of Ottawa in 2012, Professor MacDonnell has also distinguished herself as a leader and community builder. As founding Co-Director of the uOttawa Public Law Centre, she has helped establish one of Canada’s leading hubs for public law scholarship, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and mentoring the next generation of legal scholars.
Professor MacDonnell’s work is both globally engaged and deeply connected to practice. She has held visiting appointments at institutions such as the University of Cambridge and the University of Oxford, and regularly contributes to public and policy debates through expert testimony, public scholarship, and collaboration with government and civil society.
Her appointment as University Research Chair recognizes not only her outstanding scholarly achievements, but also the urgency and impact of her research at a pivotal moment for constitutional democracy worldwide. University Research Chairs are supported by the Office of the Vice President, Research and Innovation, to recognize outstanding and sustained research accomplishment and foster a culture of excellence.
Congratulations to Professor MacDonnell on this exceptional achievement!