Roman Zinigrad

Roman Zinigrad is a Professor in the Department of History and Politics at the American University of Paris (AUP), where he has served since 2021. He holds a dual focus on law, education, and democratic governance. As Program Coordinator for the History, Law, and Society (HLS) major, he emphasizes interdisciplinary approaches to legal studies, integrating historical, philosophical, and sociopolitical perspectives. His academic journey includes a JD and PhD from Yale Law School, clerkship at the Israeli Supreme Court, and research collaborations with international institutions.

Zinigrad’s expertise spans constitutional law, radicalization dynamics, and children’s rights. He co-drafted the Abidjan Principles on Privatization of Education and leads EU-funded projects like OppAttune (countering political extremism) and CO3 (resilient social contracts). At AUP, he co-leads the Center for Critical Democracy Studies (CCDS), fostering research on democratic challenges and societal transformations. His teaching emphasizes critical thinking and experiential learning, including Democracy Labs and collaborations with NGOs and prisons (e.g., the Prison Education Workshop).

His research bridges legal theory and practice, addressing issues such as parental rights in education, state-religion relations, and civic education as a tool for countering extremism. He advocates for a holistic legal education that prepares students for global challenges, blending academic rigor with real-world engagement.