Mikhaïl XifarasView profile
Professor
Mikhaïl Xifaras serves as Professor of Public Law at Sciences Po's Law School since September 2008, holding a secondment position at New York University Abu Dhabi since 2021. His academic appointments include Visiting Professorships at Harvard Law School (since 2011) and Keio Law School in Japan (since 2012). His educational background spans multiple disciplines: Agrégation de l'enseignement supérieur in Public Law (2004), Agrégation in Philosophy (1993), and Doctorate in Philosophy from Besançon (2001). He graduated from the École Normale Supérieure of Fontenay-Saint Cloud in 1990. Xifaras specializes in the intersection of legal philosophy and political theory, with particular focus on property theory, critical legal studies, and the historical evolution of legal thought. His research examines how philosophical frameworks from Kant to contemporary critical theorists shape legal institutions, with recurring themes in global governance, democratic theory, and the critique of presidential systems. He explores property not merely as an economic institution but as a site of political struggle and emancipatory potential. His scholarly output demonstrates consistent engagement with structuralist and post-structuralist methodologies, particularly through Barthesian semiotics applied to legal doctrine. The articles reveal a trajectory moving from national legal theory toward global constitutionalism, with increasing focus on transnational commons and post-capitalist property models. Prix Ouverture Internationale of the Université Libre de Bruxelles (2003) Marie-Curie Grant from the European Commission (2003) Fulbright Scholarship at Harvard Law School (2000) Fondation Thiers Grant (1999) Junior Member of the Institut Universitaire de France (2006-2011) Xifaras has secured significant competitive research funding including European Commission grants and Fulbright support. His academic leadership includes directing doctoral programs and co-editing the journal Jurisprudence. His international collaborations span institutions in the United States, Japan, and across Europe, reflecting his transnational research focus. While specific lab affiliations aren't documented, his work with the Law School's Research Centre and participation in cooperative projects like Digilaw and Environmental Justice initiatives indicate active engagement with interdisciplinary research teams.








