Brano Hadži Stević

Brano Hadži Stević is an Associate Professor at the Faculty of Law of the University of East Sarajevo, specializing in Constitutional Law, Human Rights, and Legal Theory. He holds doctoral and master’s degrees from the University of Belgrade’s Faculty of Law and has been employed at his current institution since November 2019. His academic career includes roles as an Assistant Professor (2019–2021) and Senior Assistant (2021–2025) before his promotion to Associate Professor in March 2025. He is a member of the Association of Lawyers of Republika Srpska and the Serbian Association for Legal and Social Philosophy. His research focuses on judicial activism, constitutional jurisprudence, and the interplay between law and morality, with notable contributions to debates on the European Court of Human Rights’ role in shaping legal frameworks.

Education:

• Bachelor of Law, University of East Sarajevo (2019) – Cum Laude
• Master of Law, University of Belgrade (2020) – Thesis: Constitutional Court Decisions as Formal Legal Sources
• Doctorate, University of Belgrade (2024) – Dissertation: Legal Reasoning and Judicial Activism in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Research Interests:

• Judicial review mechanisms in constitutional courts
• Human rights protection under international and domestic frameworks
• Legal theory, including Hart’s positivism and Kelsen’s normativism critiques
• Emerging legal challenges in digital governance (e.g., biometric data, AI)

Recent Research Trends: His publications analyze the European Court of Human Rights’ role in shaping regional legal norms, the implications of judicial activism for human rights, and the balance between emergency measures and civil liberties. He frequently explores the doctrinal foundations of constitutional law, challenging traditional separation-of-powers theories.

Awards:

• Bogdan Loza Award (Best Student, 2019)
• University of East Sarajevo Plaque for Academic Excellence (2019)

Grants & Projects:

• "Electoral Legislation Reform in Bosnia and Herzegovina" (current)
• "Local Government Financing in Serbia and Republika Srpska" (current)
• "Constitutionality in Extraordinary Circumstances" (2020)

Labs/Teams: Collaborates with the Serbian Association for Legal and Social Philosophy on interdisciplinary projects examining the philosophical underpinnings of contemporary legal systems.