The aim of our research program is to better understand the etiology and course of mood, anxiety and stress-related disorders, such as depression and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). We investigate both the transdiagnostic mechanisms underlying these disorders and work on improving the treatments…

Enforcement of group cooperation fails because of discriminatory punishment, according to research by Welmer Molenmaker and colleagues. When group members have different backgrounds, punishment turns into a double-edged sword: no longer used just to prevent group exploitation, but also to break the…

Our mission is to bring together research and practice focused on the improvement of mental health and the enhancement of treatment / psychotherapy success. To reach this goal we focus on the following paths:

Overlevingsanalyse is een onderzoeksgebied dat zich richt op het bestuderen van de tijd tot het optreden van een specifieke uitkomst.

Our mission is to advance the understanding of mental health of individuals with a history of stress and/or trauma through rigorous interdisciplinary research, integrating insights from clinical psychology, neurobiology, and social sciences. We are committed to translating our findings into innovative…

The European courtroom as political arena? Judicial interference in politically charged issues in European asylum law and criminal law

Information about admission and application can be found on this page. Find out how to apply for International Criminal Law at Leiden University.

The man prosecutors say bankrolled the 1994 Rwandan genocide is too ill to stand trial, but the judges in his case said they want to continue with a different type of inquiry. Félicien Kabuga, 90, is suffering from severe dementia. Judges want to move ahead with alternative proceedings that would not…

It has been argued that the Internet presents numerous new opportunities for crime, including homicide. So far, empirical scholarly research in this domain is rather limited. In order to discover how perpetrators have used the Internet in the homicides they have committed, we conducted an international…

We would all like to live in a world in which individuals feel safe, conflicts are resolved peacefully and the interests of future generations are taken into consideration. At Leiden University legal scholars investigate to what extent public international law meets the needs of a globalised society.…

Andrei Poama, Assistant Professor at Leiden University, published a piece in the journal of Political Philosophy about social injustice, disadvantaged offenders and the state's authority to punish.

The Prison Project investigates to what extent imprisonment has consequences for the relapse, health, career and intimate relations of the (ex-)prisoners.

As a result of the refugee crisis and the terrorist attacks in Paris and Brussels, the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee (RNM) is stepping up immigration controls in the Dutch borderlands. These measures are part of the so-called Mobile Security Monitor (in Dutch: Mobiel Toezicht Veiligheid), “Schengen…

This book provides a comparative analysis of the process of breach across ten different European jurisdictions by identifying and elaborating a number of key analytical themes through which the different systems can be compared and evaluated.

Lecture, 5th Owada Chair Symposium

Members of our research team give different types of presentations and lectures.

We are happy to give you 10 reasons why you should study the specialization International Criminal Law at Leiden University. Read more.

Our research regularly receives attention in the (Dutch) popular media. Here is an overview.

Why do certain incidents of serious violence end lethally whereas others do not? What role do personal characteristics of offenders and victims play and how do immediate situational factors influence outcomes?

Trust in public institutions in the Tata Steel case and beyond

On 9 November, Roosmarijn van Es defended the thesis 'The mind in the courtroom: on forensic mental health reports in judicial decision-making about guilt and sentencing in the Netherlands. The doctoral research was supervised by Jan de Keijser, Maarten Kunst and Janne van Doorn.

Research on lethal violence related to criminal activities.

The study at hand focuses on the control of sex and youngsters through the response by authorities most notably from within criminal justice.

Please contact us if you have any questions about the programme Public International Law and the specialisation International Criminal Law.

On 29 april 2020, Beth Van Schaack defended her thesis 'Imagining Justice for Syria: Water Always Finds Its Way'. The doctoral research was supervised by Prof. C. Stahn.

State utilization of 'hukum adat' and its implication for the Indonesian rule of law

On 29 September 2020, Tom van Ham defended his thesis 'Collective violence offenders and offending. The role of individual characteristics'. The doctoral research was supervised by Prof. A.A.J. Blokland, Prof. O.M.J. Adang (RUG) and Prof. Th.A.H. Doreleijers (VUMC).

This book brings together a collection of emergent research that moves the debate on desistance beyond a general consideration of individual and social structural influences.

Both departments provide teaching in the bachelor and master programmes.

The fifth Owada Chair Symposium provided an opportunity for new-generation researchers from the participating universities to present their ongoing work to each other.

To assess the impact of illicit firearms trafficking on gun violence, this research looks at the scope, characteristics and contexts of firearm violence, and also the scope and nature of firearms trafficking in Europe since the new millennium. Nils Duquet, Dennis Vanden Auweele and Marieke Liem created…

A research into homicide.

The faculty has around 650 employees, academic and administrative staff. More than 325 of these are involved in teaching. Together they make Leiden Law School what it is today: a faculty driven by its research and enriched by its teaching.

Human-driven environmental damage is increasingly recognised as a global crisis. Should large-scale destruction of ecosystems be considered a crime? The concept of ecocide has gained renewed attention, particularly following a proposed definition for inclusion in international criminal law, raising…

The Centre for Public Values & Ethics (CPVE) is an interdisciplinary, academic centre of expertise aiming to conduct and disseminate scientific research on normative issues in the public sector, in particular the fulfillment of public office and the planning, making and executing of public policy, both…

Extensive research is being conducted at the Institute of Criminal Law and Criminology on developments in sentencing and punitive measures and how judges and other actors in the criminal justice system reach decisions. Another focus area is how punishments and measures are implemented and the effect…

Prosecutor Karim Khan has asked the Pre-Trial Chamber at the International Criminal Court in The Hague to issue arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Larissa van den Herik, Professor of Public International Law, discusses the case on Dutch radio programme ‘Nieuws en Co’.

For Humans of Psychology, students and staff will be put into the spotlight. At our institute prizes are won, exiting research is conducted, knowledge is harnessed, public meeting are organised and open science is highlighted. Take a look behind the scenes.

On 11 December 2015, the Grotius Centre for International Legal Studies organized a seminar on

On 25 October 2017, the current class of students of the advanced LL.M. programme International Children’s Rights visited juvenile detention center ‘De Hunnerberg’ in Nijmegen (the Netherlands).

Stam defended his dissertation ‘Freedom of speech and the suppression of discrimination in the Netherlands: a constitutional-developmental approach’ on 12 November 2025. The doctoral research was supervised by Afshan Ellian and Bastiaan Rijpkema

The programme International Criminal Law at Leiden University prepares you for a succesful career. Read more about our career preparation activities

The Department of Economics concentrates its research on Social Policies, Public Finance and Law and Economics.

The fifth Owada Chair Symposium included two sessions of student debate together with Professor Owada and the keynote speaker, Dr Fatou Bensouda.