Judith Hahn

Prof. Dr. Judith Hahn is a Chair holder at the University of Bonn’s Catholic Theological Faculty (KTF Bonn), leading the Canon Law research team. Her work focuses on the intersection of Canon Law with sociology, theology, and linguistics, emphasizing how legal and religious systems interact. Key research areas include the theory of Canon Law, law as cultural artifact, and the performative power of legal rituals. She has published extensively on topics such as sacraments, legal language, and global legal pluralism.

Her current project, Glocal Laws: Global Catholicism, Canon Law, and the Local Churches, funded by the Volkswagen Foundation, examines challenges in applying centralized Catholic law across diverse cultural and legal contexts. Recent publications include Kanonistik – Rechtswissenschaft oder Theologie? (2024) and The Language of Canon Law (2023), exploring Canon Law’s disciplinary identity and linguistic challenges. She also researches sacramental theology’s impact on legal structures and vice versa.

Her work integrates sociology, legal theory, and theology to analyze how Canon Law functions in global contexts. Notable contributions address ambiguities in legal interpretation, the role of language in legal communication, and the sociological dynamics of dissent within religious institutions. She maintains a website (judith-hahn.de) and is contactable at judith.hahn@uni-bonn.de.