Hanna Eklund

Hanna Eklund serves as a Tenure Track Assistant Professor of Constitutional Law at the Centre for European, Comparative, and Constitutional Legal Studies within the Faculty of Law at the University of Copenhagen. Her academic career bridges European legal scholarship with critical analysis of colonial legacies in EU foundational documents, particularly the Treaty of Rome. Eklund's research has positioned her at the forefront of scholars re-examining the historical narratives of European integration through postcolonial lenses.

Her educational background includes a Ph.D. in European Law from the European University Institute (EUI) in Florence (2016), preceded by a Master of Laws from Uppsala University (2011) and a Visiting Scholar position at Columbia University Law School (2014). Her academic trajectory reflects a consistent focus on European legal frameworks with increasing specialization in the intersection of colonial history and contemporary EU law.

Eklund's research interests center on EU Law with particular emphasis on Constitutional Law, Colonial Legacies in EU Law, and Law and Social Change. She critically examines how colonial politics shaped foundational EU legal concepts, challenging traditional narratives of European integration. Her groundbreaking work on the Treaty of Rome reveals how colonial contexts influenced legal categories related to peoples, inhabitants, and workers, demonstrating how euphemistic language in foundational treaties perpetuated colonial hierarchies. This research represents a significant contribution to critical legal history and postcolonial legal studies within the European context.

Her publications reveal a consistent scholarly trajectory examining the colonial underpinnings of EU law, with particular focus on how historical colonial politics continue to influence contemporary legal frameworks regarding citizenship, non-discrimination, and fundamental rights. Eklund's work demonstrates remarkable thematic coherence, moving from historical analysis of foundational EU treaties to contemporary implications for EU citizens and legal principles.

• Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowship from the European Commission (2020) for the project 'An Ever Closer Union Among the Peoples of Europe: A Critical Legal History' (EPoCH)
• Inge Lehmann Grant from Danmarks Frie Forskningsfond (2021) for the project 'Colonialism in EU Law: Writing Legal Histories for the Future' (ColonyEU)

As Principal Investigator of the Danmarks Frie Forskningsfond-funded project 'Colonialism and EU Law: Writing Legal Histories for the Future,' Eklund leads a significant research initiative examining the colonial roots of EU legal frameworks. Her teaching portfolio includes courses on Institutional Constitutional Law and EU Constitutional Law at the BA level, as well as the Master's course Advanced EU Constitutional Law. Eklund has also been actively engaged in public discourse through numerous media contributions addressing EU policy, taxation, discrimination, and democratic principles.

Eklund contributes to the vibrant research environment of the Centre for European, Comparative, and Constitutional Legal Studies at the University of Copenhagen, where she collaborates with scholars examining various dimensions of European legal frameworks. Her work intersects with broader scholarly conversations about decolonizing legal education and critically examining the historical foundations of contemporary legal systems.