'Thornhill's work can only be considered truly impressive. It is very rare that one comes across a book which opens up an entirely new field while challenging essentially all existing approaches in such a convincing, elegant and scrupulous manner. Most proponents of alternative positions are likely to find the foundations of their own work seriously challenged, just as the book is likely to dominate the field for many years to come. This makes [it] an absolute must for any serious scholar interested in constitutional sociology and theory. Thornhill has cast a gauntlet which deserves to be picked up.' Poul F. Kjaer, European Journal of Social Theory.