Zoran Oklopcic

Zoran Oklopcic is an Associate Professor in the Department of Law and Legal Studies at Carleton University. He holds an LL.B. from the University of Zagreb, an Executive M.A. from Amsterdam, an LL.M. from Central European University, and an S.J.D. from the University of Toronto. He is currently on sabbatical until December 2025. His affiliations include editorial board membership at the Review of Constitutionalism and Constitutional Change and visiting positions at institutions like Harvard Law School, NYU, and the University of Edinburgh.

Oklopcic's research explores the interplay of constitutional theory, political philosophy, and international law, with a focus on concepts like territorial rights, self-determination, and constituent power. His work critically examines the foundations of constitutional orders in post-conflict societies and the Global South, while challenging Western-centric legal paradigms. His current projects include monographs on the Spain-Catalonia constitutional stalemate (with Karlo Basta) and the role of hierarchy/system in Western social imaginary.

His publications analyze trends in constitutional crises (e.g., Ukraine, Catalonia), secession ethics, and populism's impact on democracy. Articles often employ interdisciplinary lenses—combining legal theory, anthropology, and complexity theory—to deconstruct concepts like 'the people' and 'sovereignty.'

Awards and Fellowships:

• MacCormick Visiting Fellow, University of Edinburgh (2013)
• Junior Faculty, Harvard Law School’s Institute for Global Law and Policy (2013–2015)
• Hauser Global Research Fellow, NYU School of Law (2014)
• Visiting Scholar, University of Victoria (2015)