Dr M.M. van Asseldonk (Maxim)

Maxim van Asseldonk is assistant professor in philosophy of law.

His research is concerned with the philosophical foundations of democracy, especially focusing on the following issues:
- The tension between (radical) democratic openness and constitutional certainty, including the role of human rights therein;
- The problem of collective identity formation, particularly in conditions of radical plurality.

He carries out this research especially from the perspective of theories of radical democracy, with specific interest in the works of, among others, Claude Lefort, Jacques Rancière, Bonnie Honig, and Jean-Luc Nancy.

Maxim obtained his PhD from the University of Aberdeen, funded by a Marie Skłodowska-Curie bursary awarded by the European Commission and held by the Centre for Citizenship, Civil Society, and the Rule of Law, successfully defending a thesis analysing the democratic weaknesses and potentials of the concept of constituent power. Previously, he studied political philosophy and human geography at Radboud University.