Philip Alston receives honorary doctorate from Maastricht University

Photo of Philip AlstonOn January 20, as part of Maastricht University’s 35th anniversary celebration, John Norton Pomeroy Professor of Law Philip Alston received an honorary doctorate. Alston, who is also a faculty director and co-chair of the Center for Human Rights Global Justice, delivered a lecture titled "Dilemmas of Fact Finding" at the University on January 19.

Alston’s lecture drew on his work during six years as the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial, Summary or Arbitrary Executions, and was followed by comments from Professor Theo van Boven, former U.N. Special Rapporteur on Torture.

“Philip Alston is one of the world’s most authoritative academics in the field of human rights, and author of a wide-ranging and substantial oeuvre. His work is characterized by a high degree of erudition and originality," said Menno Kamminga, professor of international law at Maastricht. "His affiliation with U.M. dates from as far back as 1986, when he first attended an international conference organized by the Maastricht Centre for Human Rights. It’s a bond that we hope to foster for a long time to come.”

Posted January 21, 2011