Abstract

The article discusses the connections between postconstitutionalism and the Anthropocene, a term denoting the human impact on ecosystems. Anthropocene implicates an integration of the bio-physical context (nature) in the design of social institutions and choices among different technological and productive options, as well as the evaluation of potentially conflicting interests and new arrangements of the social contract. In this context it is therefore imperative to conceive of ecosystems and institutions as interdependent and the perspective is that of a co-evolution of ecosystems and institutions. This will pose the critical issue of how liberal democracy can morph into a new constitutional compact in which nature and society interact thus implicating a plurality of modes of representation of citizens through incremental forms of deliberative democracy. The article analyzes different potential scenarios of postconstitutionalism and then specifically discusses among them the development of “glocal politiesµ which mobilize non-monetary resources and govern “commonsµ, outlining a resilient posticostitutionalism based on a concept of “glocalismµ which relies on reflexivity and deliberative democracy. The article concludes by discussing the network internal structure of local polities and the polycentric architecture of inter-connected glocal polities which develop and promote political goals