AJ Wolthuis

Dr. AJ Wolthuis is an Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Law, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, with affiliations to the Kooijmans Institute and the Boundaries of Law research group. His work focuses on European Union legal theory, pluralism, democracy, and cosmopolitan law. He teaches courses like 'Philosophy of Law. Classic Texts' and contributes to projects such as the RECONNECT initiative, which explores EU democracy and rule of law. His research addresses challenges of European integration, including refugee crises and institutional solidarity. Wolthuis frequently engages in public discourse through media contributions, advocating for a nuanced understanding of EU governance.

Research Interests:

• Justice principles in EU frameworks
• Pluralism and democratic backsliding
• Cosmopolitan legal institutions
• Kantian interpretations of EU law
• EU refugee and internal market policies

Recent Work Trends: His articles analyze EU legal structures through lenses of constitutionalism, ethics, and political philosophy. Themes include balancing solidarity with justice in EU policy and reimagining the Union’s democratic foundations.

Grants & Projects: Participated in the RECONNECT project (2018–2022), focusing on EU democracy and pluralism.

Labs/Teams: Active in the Kooijmans Institute and Boundaries of Law group, emphasizing interdisciplinary legal scholarship.