Philipp-Alexander Hirsch

Philipp-Alexander Hirsch is a Research Group Leader at the Max Planck Institute for the Study of Crime, Security and Law in Freiburg. His work bridges criminal law theory, legal philosophy, and intellectual history, with a focus on Enlightenment-era legal thought. He holds doctorates in law and philosophy from the University of Göttingen and is completing a habilitation there. Hirsch has held roles as a Research Associate and Assistant Professor at Göttingen and practiced as a legal clerk at the Higher Regional Court of Braunschweig.

His research explores foundational questions in criminal law, including victim rights, imputation theories, and the historical development of penal systems. Notable projects include examining accountability practices in law and philosophy, the philosophical underpinnings of punishment, and feminist perspectives in 18th-century criminal law. He has received the Appelhagen-Stifterpreis for his 2020 dissertation and leads interdisciplinary initiatives like the 'Rights in Criminal Law' volume.

• Education:
  • PhD in Philosophy (2016), University of Göttingen
  • Doctor of Laws (2020), University of Göttingen
  • M.A. in Philosophy (2011), University of Göttingen and Vienna
  • Law Degree (2010), University of Göttingen and Vienna

Current projects include investigating Hegel's concept of wrong, the role of victim rights in legal systems, and the historical figure Ernst Ferdinand Klein. Hirsch also contributes to academic discourse through editing volumes, teaching at Göttingen, and organizing international conferences on legal philosophy and criminal law theory.