Towards legal access for asylum seekers

People drowning in the Mediterranean reach the headlines of the news, but the problem that there is no legal way of access for asylum seekers is hardly discussed. In this post the underlying problem of border deaths is discussed.

Mark Klaassen • October 01, 2015

The Rule of Law and the World of Myth

According to law philosophers Western civilisation, reigned by law and reason, has always differed profoundly from the ‘savage’ world guided by myth. Yet by making the creation of order out of chaos central to the concept of law, myth has lived on.

Wim Bonis • August 19, 2015 • 4 comments

Freedom – finding a home for us all

When Leiden University was founded, freedom meant non-interference by authorities. In the 1960s it was expanded inwardly to living authentic lives. And amidst a mass immigration of boat refugees, the West is still struggling to fully realize its freedom.

Wim Bonis • June 10, 2015 • 1 comment

The amoral mentality of bankers

Joris Luyendijk, who has thoroughly analysed the world of bankers in London, argues that bankers can behave amorally because they only check whether their behaviour is permitted by law. Yet they definitely do violate the moral basis of law.

Wim Bonis • May 13, 2015

When is a child forced to leave the EU?

In Ruiz Zambrano the Court of Justice of the EU decided that a minor EU child may not be forced to leave the territory of the EU. Four years later it is still not clear what implications this ruling has.

Mark Klaassen • April 30, 2015

Crime and (lack of) empathy in a changing world

Research has established a link between lack of empathy and crime. It is interesting and illuminating to look at both phenomena from the context of the historical development of human consciousness in the Western world.

Wim Bonis • March 14, 2015 • 2 comments

Capital punishment in Indonesia

Last Sunday’s execution of Dutch national Ang Kiem Soei led to strong reactions from the Dutch government and in the media. This blog considers two questions: first, was Ang’s execution lawful and second, why did President Jokowi refuse to grant clemency?

Adriaan Bedner • January 22, 2015

An Embedded Freedom of Speech

The terrorist attack on Charlie Hebdo has put the freedom of speech back on the agenda. If we are serious about creating a world in which there is room for everybody, we have to rethink the content of this human right, so that it can help us forward.

Wim Bonis • January 21, 2015 • 1 comment

How to feel more secure with less police

In the Dutch national police force 3000 jobs have to be shed by 2017, reducing the presence of police officers on our streets. This need not endanger our sense of security, when we realise the importance of empathy and start practising it regularly.

Wim Bonis • November 26, 2014

leidenlawblog

Blogs