Prof Dr Roland Pierik (R.)

Roland Pierik is a professor of Philosophy of Law, chair of the Department of Foundations of Law, and co-director of the Maastricht Research Centre for Law & Jurisprudence.

His research interests revolve around the question of how liberal democracies should deal with cases of colliding fundamental rights or conflicts between fundamental rights and other central ideals within constitutional democracies: the rule of law or democracy.

Prof. Pierik studies fundamental rights as legal-philosophical concepts and legally enforceable rights as they have been formalized in human rights conventions, especially the European Convention on Human Rights.

On 1 December 2023, Prof. Pierik gave his inaugural lecture, as professor of philosophy of law at Maastricht University, entitled: "Convention Constitutionalism: on the Necessity of Judicial Review for Democratic Governance."

Abstract

The European Court of Human Rights has been criticized for unduly interfering in democratic decision processes. Some argue that the unelected Strasbourg activists in robes should not interfere with democratic policy decisions that were made nationally. This inaugural lecture analyses this practice of rights-based judicial review by the Strasbourg Court. 

Recent publications: