VUB Contextual Research in Law

Prof. Frederik Dhondt contributed a book review to the Revue historique de droit français et étranger' s second issue of 2025, on the monograph Penser le droit constitutionnel: Pellegrino Rossi (1782-1848)  published in the Bibliothèque des thèses - Droit public  (Mare & Martin).  Read more on Dalloz's website , or in the journal on paper.

  (image source:  Hart/Bloomsbury ) Dr. Nathaniel Boyd will discuss his recent  Hegel and German Public Law  with dr. Raphaël Cahen . Abstract: Nathaniel Boyd's pathbreaking book argues that Hegel's political thought was shaped by German public law. This tradition of legal discourse, especially through its imperial tradition, was crucial to European modernity, influencing foundational philosophical concepts such as sovereignty, the state and the diverse legal systems that emerged from them. Hegel and German Public Law examines the impact of Johann Jacob Moser, Johann Stephan Pütter and Johann Christian von Majer on Hegel's intellectual development. It reveals how the collapse of the Holy Roman Empire informed his early speculative system and constitutional theory. In doing so, Boyd extends our understanding of Hegel's relation to European legal and political thought while offering an original interpretive framework for Hegel's absolute idealism and unfolding institu...

The website for the 59th Congress of the Federation of Archaeological and Historical Societies of Belgium/12th Congress of French-Speaking Societies of History and Archaeology of Belgium (ACfHAB) is now fully functional. Proposals for the section Institutional and Legal History (incl. sigillography) can be sent through the form on the website, or directly to the President (prof. em. Jean-Marie Cauchies/ARB), the Vice-Presidents (Marc Ronvaux - Prof. Frederik Dhondt ) or  Secretary (dr. Nicolas Simon/ARB). More information here .

(image source: De Morgen ) Prof. Frederik Dhondt was interviewed by Simon Tibo ( De Morgen ) on the first round of the local elections in France. Read the interview here .

  (image source: SFDI ) Dr. Raphaël Cahen (guest lecturer) has contributed a lemma on the Belgian professor of international law Edouard Descamps for the Galerie des internationalistes  of the French Society of International Law ( SFDI ). First paragraph: Issu d’une famille catholique, Descamps étudie le droit et les sciences politiques à Namur et à Louvain jusqu’à l’obtention de son doctorat en droit (1869) et d’un doctorat en sciences politiques et administratives (1870). Alors qu’il est déjà avocat au barreau de Mons, il s’inscrit à celui de Paris où il parfait ses études à la Faculté de droit lors de la guerre franco-prussienne. En 1872, à 25 ans, il débute sa carrière universitaire à Louvain en tant que titulaire du cours de droit administratif. Il y restera professeur jusqu’en 1932, après avoir enseigné une grande variété de cours, dont celui de Droit des gens à partir de 1881 (il succède à Charles Périn, son ancien professeur). Doyen de la faculté de droit à quatre repr...

  (image source: NextGenLegal Scholars Conference ) The program of the "1st NextGen Legal Scholars Conference", an event co-organised by the assistants at the Faculty of Law and Criminology, including drs. Rodrick Van der Smissen , is available here . Drs. Hugo Brethenoux von Vietinghoff will present a paper, Prof. Frederik Dhondt will preside a session.