Research programmes

Research of the Research Centre of State and Law (SteR) is carried out within the programme 'Foundations of Public Law'. This overarching programme is concretised in four sub-programmes, which reinforce and complement each other. For each of the sub-programmes, a couple consisting of a professor and an assistant professor from two different sections act as the leading figures. These leaders play a driving role by encouraging mutual cooperation within and outside the sub-programme, organising joint meetings and tackling new themes. The sub-programmes aim to give direction to SteR research in a stable, long-term and future-proof manner. Within each sub-programme, one or more (regularly varying) concrete research themes will be identified on which joint research will be carried out in the medium to long term.

The four sub-programmes are the following:

I. Founding principles & fundamental rights

This sub-programme focuses on the role and significance of general legal principles and fundamental rights in public law. In particular, it focuses on: separation of powers & democracy, vertical division of powers, the principle of the rule of law, general principles of good governance, core principles of criminal law and fundamental rights. (Leading figures: Prof. Raymond Schlössels and Dr. Joost Sillen)

II. Interaction between national & international law

The central theme is the interaction between the international and European legal order and the Dutch legal order. Attention is also paid to the role and significance of sovereignty as the foundation of the Dutch legal order. (Leading figures: Prof. Masha Fedorova and Dr. Jasper Krommendijk)

III. Conflict resolution institutions

Within the framework of the Dutch national sector plan for law, a new research group has been set up around the theme 'Conflict resolution institutions'. A large number of researchers from SteR and various colleagues from the Radboud Business Law Institute participate in this research group. Over the next six years (2019-2025), the new research group will focus on three challenges for the judicial domain of conflict resolution:

• Competition before the courts, in particular through administrative conflict resolution and extrajudicial conflict resolution in private law.
• Tasks to be fulfilled by the courts: can they still live up to expectations?
• Emergence of digital technology as 'support or competitor' of the judge

(Leading figures: Prof. Ashley Terlouw and Dr. Marieke Dubelaar)

IV. Migration & citizenship

This programme concerns the study of a thematic part of public law, namely migration law, in the broadest sense of the term. In addition to the national, community and international law on foreigners and asylum, the programme examines legal issues that affect the multi-coloured social problems surrounding the phenomenon of migration and the position of minorities. The Migration and Citizenship Programme is implemented by the 'Centre for Migration Law', which was recently awarded the title of Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence for a second time. (Leading figures: Prof. Tesseltje de Lange and Prof. Paul Minderhoud)