Josep Tirapu-Sanuy

Research

I am interested in the phenomenon of national pluralism, that is, the coexistence of multiple national communities within a single state. My research addresses plurinational constitutionalism: the study of the implications of national pluralism for constitutional law. I am particularly interested in constitutional conflicts in Spain, Canada, and the United Kingdom, with a focus on Catalonia, Quebec, and Scotland.

Within plurinational constitutionalism, a range of issues arise, including territorial autonomy, the role of courts, claims to self-determination and secession, human rights protection, and language rights. My research explores these and related questions.

Teaching

I teach Constitutional Law to undergraduate students and Constitutional Theory to postgraduate students.

Selected publications

“The Role of Courts in the Accommodation of National Pluralism” (forthcoming) International Journal of Constitutional Law

“Fundamental Rights in a Secessionist Crisis: Lessons from Catalonia” (forthcoming) European Yearbook of Constitutional Law

“(Lack of) Territorial Representation in the Spanish Senate: Constitutional Design and Political Practice” (with Lorena Ortiz Cabrero) (2026) Revista d’Estudis Autonòmics i Federals 43, 113-148

“Devolution, National Pluralism and the Role of the UK Supreme Court” (2025) Oxford Journal of Legal Studies 45(3), 640-668

“The Catalan Amnesty in the Spanish Constitutional Court: A Triumph of Pragmatism over Principle” (2025) Verfassungsblog

“Amnesties and Victim Status in the ECtHR: Reflections on the Impact of the Spanish Amnesty on the Victim Status of the Catalan Independence Leaders” (2024) Revista Catalana de Dret Públic 68, 174-188