The constitutional principle of proportionality: an interdisciplinary approach

Introduction: proportionality is an object of study in various fields of knowledge, with each discipline only focusing on particular aspects of this phenomenon. General scientific and legal aspects of proportionality are not to be mixed up. However, the interdisciplinary approach allows going beyond a strictly formal (legal) approach and seeing new dimensions of proportionality. Methods: the author argues that the application of an exclusively dogmatic approach in legal research is not capable of solving the complex issues of society, including the most difficult problem of balancing public and private interests. Therefore, in this paper, interdisciplinary methodology is used to provide a deeper analysis of the constitutional principle of proportionality. Purpose: interdisciplinary analysis of proportionality is geared not only to theoretical goals but also to applied tasks. In this regard, an attempt was made to link the interdisciplinarity approach with the judicial practice of the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation. In accordance with this goal, the study is to solve three main tasks. The first part of the paper aims to identify the essential characteristics of the constitutional principle of proportionality; the author refers to philosophy, logic, psychology and ethics. In the second part, the idea of proportionality is analyzed through the prism of linguistics. Linguistic aspects are important when interpreting proportionality in its judicial sense in cases on the protection of constitutional rights. The third part analyzes proportionality in such fields as economics, sociology and political science from the perspective of finding a possible balance between constitutional rights of individuals and public interests. Results: the author justifies that only interconnection of various aspects of the interdisciplinary approach is meaningful in the analysis of proportionality. Each of the aspects cannot be applied separately. Conclusions: in constitutional adjudication, a combination of various interdisciplinary approaches is necessary depending on the circumstances of the case. Such a conclusion should not deny the value of legal dogmatics in application to the proportionality analysis. However, the latter topic deserves further research.