Alexander von Humboldt-Professur
Award year: 2024
Category: Award / Honour
Type: Alexander von Humboldt-Professur
Awarding organization: Alexander von Humboldt-Stiftung
Eva Pils began investigating the defense of human rights in China more than 20 years ago, at a time when most people expected there to be a liberal transformation of the Chinese legal system. Pils concentrated, however, on the tension and contradictions within the one-party system. She was skeptical towards the Chinese reform process and the assumption that authoritarian institutions would become more open and accessible through collaboration and discussion. FAU plans to expand its key research priority in human rights with Eva Pils as a Humboldt Professor. The aim is to establish the Center for Human Rights Erlangen-Nürnberg (CHREN) and the School of Law as a top institution within Europe for research and teaching in the area of human rights.