Latest blog articles

  • Dean’s blog episode 4: Bachelor Open Day

    Now that law gets little attention in high school, we must enhance our initiatives in the field of pre-academic experience. We already have a wonderful virtual open day for law, but the challenge is to also make one that places prospective students right in the middle of a tutorial and have them...

    FdR Bachelor Open Day 2018 feb
  • Dean’s blog episode 3: from Blue Monday to the Dies Natalis

    Many things happened at the Faculty in the past fortnight. Friday 26 January, we celebrated the 42nd Dies Natalis of the UM. The one thing I always like about this celebration is that it is enormously varied compared to other universities’ anniversaries.

    scriptieprijzen uitreiking FdR Maastricht  UM 2018
  • Street harassment and freedom of speech

    Yelling, offensive language, indecent sounds, and to a certain extent even behaviors are being protected as ‘speech’ or as ‘symbolic speech’ by Article 7 of the constitution. If we believe criminal justice is an appropriate instrument, an intervention is only allowed on the part of the national...

    edvard_munch_de schreeuw 1895_MLR
  • The Dean’s Blog episode 1: the first two weeks

    Some colleagues asked me what it is that a dean does all day and why he cannot simply do his fair share of teaching. This question is fully justified and this blog will try to give some insight into work and life of a dean (that, by the way, I am also curious about myself).

    Dean's blog Jan Smits_Faculty of Law Maastricht
  • Dutch police and headscarf policy

    No headscarves or other religious expressions in the police, in this way we impair the 'neutral' image associated with the police. (Dutch only)

    politie blog hoofddoekjes
  • Secession, independence and constitutional law

    Does Spain have a stong case from the perspective of the decentralised unitary state, to prevent Catalonia from the opportunity to gain independence, and therefore take numerous measures? (Dutch only)

    Spanje vs Catalonië
  • Nogmaals referenda

    Nederland raakt niet uitgepraat over referenda. En dat is niet zo gek, gezien de recente ervaringen uit het Verenigd Koninkrijk, Spanje en natuurlijk het Oekraïne-referendum. In het regeerakkoord staat dat de Wet raadgevend referendum wordt ingetrokken. Wat moeten we nou van referenda vinden?

    referendum stembus
  • The State of the European Union debate 2017, part 2

    Juncker's proposals are focused top-down. However, European citizenship will not arise itself by positing in a convention. In short, the knowledge which is present in society, should be fully used. (Dutch only)

    De 2017 State of the European Union-deel 2