Professor Sabine Michalowski
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Email
smichal@essex.ac.uk -
Location
Colchester Campus
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Academic support hours
Autumn Term and Spring Term: On Study Leave
Profile
Biography
Sabine Michalowski joined the School in January 2000, having previously been a lecturer in law at the University of Sheffield from 1994 to 1999. She is co-director of the Essex Transitional Justice Network, chairs the ETJN's research area economic dimensions of transitional justice, and she is also a member of the Human Rights Centre. Sabine graduated from Hamburg, qualified as a lawyer in Berlin, and holds a Diploma in Comparative Law awarded by the University of Paris II and a PhD from Sheffield. In recent years, the primary focus of Sabine's research has been on the Colombian peace and transitional justice process, particularly regarding the question of how to hold economic actors, such as business directors, landowners etc., to account for their role in conflict related crimes. She has been collaborating with Colombian think tank Dejusticia on these issues, provided amicus briefs to the Colombian Constitutional Court and the Colombian Special Jurisdiction for Peace and co-authored academic and policy papers. As a member of the Essex Autonomy Project, Sabine is a researcher on the Wellcome Trust funded Mental Health and Justice project and was also involved in an AHRC funded project on the compatibility of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The project involved a series of public policy roundtables, hosted by the Ministry of Justice, and a one-day public conference at the Institute for Government in July 2014. In September 2014 it resulted in the submission of a position paper to the Ministry of Justice. Another of Sabine's ongoing research interests is end-of-life decision-making, in particular the controversial issue of assisted dying. She is currently exploring the human rights implications of the partial legalisation of assisted dying. Sabine would invite PhD applications in the areas of transitional justice, particularly regarding its economic and social dimension; corporate complicity; and medical law.
Research and professional activities
Research interests
Medical Law
In particular end-of-life issues, patient autonomy, capacity
Business and human rights
In particular corporate complicity in human rights violations
Transitional Justice, with a particular focus on the Colombian peace process, socio-economic dimensions of TJ and the inclusion of economic actors in TJ processes
In particular economic and social dimensions of transitional justice, and the linkages between transitional justice and corporate accountability
Health Care Law and Human Rights
Teaching and supervision
Current teaching responsibilities
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Medical Law (LW232)
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Final Year Research Project (LW304)
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Transitional Justice (LW927)
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Gender, Race, Identity and Human Rights (HU931)
Previous supervision
Degree subject: Human Rights and Research Methods
Degree type: Doctor of Philosophy
Awarded date: 27/6/2024
Degree subject: Law
Degree type: Doctor of Philosophy
Awarded date: 4/3/2024
Degree subject: Human Rights
Degree type: Doctor of Philosophy
Awarded date: 21/6/2023
Degree subject: Human Rights
Degree type: Doctor of Philosophy
Awarded date: 16/3/2022
Degree subject: Human Rights
Degree type: Doctor of Philosophy
Awarded date: 13/8/2021
Degree subject: Law
Degree type: Doctor of Philosophy
Awarded date: 2/7/2021
Degree type: Occasional Postgraduate Study
Awarded date: 22/7/2017
Degree subject: Law
Degree type: Doctor of Philosophy
Awarded date: 29/6/2016
Publications
Journal articles (27)
Michalowski, S. and Cardona Chaves, JP., Responsabilidad corporativa y justicia transicional. Anuario de Derechos Humanos. 0 (11)
Michalowski, S., (2024). Approaches to criminal responsibility of economic actors in transitional justice processes: lessons from Colombia. Columbia human rights law review. 55 (2), 444-508
Fitton, E., Kuylen, M., Wyllie, A., Michalowski, S., Bhatt, V. and Martin, W., (2023). Managing DNACPR Recommendations in Residential Care: Towards Improved Training for Social Care and Capacity Professionals. The British Journal of Social Work. 53 (5), 2979-2999
Kuylen, M., Wyllie, A., Bhatt, V., Fitton, E., Michalowski, S. and Martin, W., (2022). COVID-19 and the Mental Capacity Act in care homes: Perspectives from capacity professionals. Health and Social Care in the Community. 30 (5), e3018-e3028
Michalowski, S. and Martin, W., (2022). DNACPR Decisions: Aligning Law, Guidance, and Practice. Medical Law Review. 30 (3), 434-456
Bhatt, V., Michalowski, S., Wyllie, A., Kuylen, M. and Martin, W., (2021). Human Rights and COVID Triage: A Comment on the Bath Protocol. Journal of Medical Ethics. 47 (7), 464-466
Michalowski, S., (2015). Doing Business with a Bad Actor: How to Draw the Line Between Legitimate Commercial Activities and Those that Trigger Corporate Complicity Liability. Texas International Law Journal. 50 (3), 403-464
Michalowski, S., (2014). The Mens Rea Standard for Corporate Aiding and Abetting Liability - conclusions from international criminal law. UCLA Journal of International Law and Foreign Affairs. 18 (2)
Michalowski, S., (2013). RELYING ON COMMON LAW DEFENCES TO LEGALISE ASSISTED DYING: PROBLEMS AND POSSIBILITIES. Medical Law Review. 21 (3), 337-370
Michalowski, S., (2012). No Complicity Liability for Funding Gross Human Rights Violations?. Berkeley Journal of International Law. 30 (2), 451-524
Bohoslavsky, JP. and Michalowski, S., (2009). Ius Cogens, Transitional Justice and Other Trends of the Debate on Odious Debts: A Response to the World Bank Discussion Paper on Odious Debts. Columbia Journal of Transnational Law. 48 (1), 61-120
Michalowski, S., (2009). Law, Legitimacy and the Rationing of Health Care. A Contextual and Comparative Perspective. European Journal of Health Law. 16 (4), 396-408
Michalowski, S., (2009). Legalising Active Voluntary Euthanasia Through The Courts: Some Lessons From Colombia. Medical Law Review. 17 (2), 183-218
Michalowski, S., (2009). Trazando paralelos entre la responsabilidad de bancos por complicidad y las deudas odiosas.. Revista Jur�dica. 10 (1), 279-288
Jox, RJ., Michalowski, S., Lorenz, J. and Schildmann, J., (2008). Substitute decision making in medicine: comparative analysis of the ethico-legal discourse in England and Germany. Medicine, Health Care and Philosophy. 11 (2), 153-163
Michalowski, S., (2008). Sovereign Debt and Social Rights-Legal Reflections on a Difficult Relationship. Human Rights Law Review. 8 (1), 35-68
Michalowski, S., (2007). Trial and Error at the End of Life--No Harm Done?. Oxford Journal of Legal Studies. 27 (2), 257-280
Michalowski, S., (2005). Advance Refusals of Life‐Sustaining Medical Treatment: The Relativity of an Absolute Right. The Modern Law Review. 68 (6), 958-982
Kouwenberg, S. and Patrick, PL., (2003). Introduction. Studies in Second Language Acquisition. 25 (02), 175-184
Michalowski, S., (2002). Sanctity of life — are some lives more sacred than others?. Legal Studies. 22 (3), 377-397
Michalowski, S., (2001). Medical confidentiality for violent patients? A comparison of the German and the English approach. Medicine and Law. 20 (4), 569-577
Michalowski, S., (2001). Reversal of fortune--Re A (Conjoined Twins) and beyond: who should make treatment decisions on behalf of young children?. Health Law Journal. 9, 149-169
Dorondo, DR., Michalowski, S. and Woods, L., (2001). German Constitutional Law: The Protection of Civil Liberties. German Studies Review. 24 (3), 637-637
Michalowski, S., (1999). Court‐Authorised Caesarean Sections — The End of a Trend?. The Modern Law Review. 62 (1), 115-127
Michalowski, (1998). Medical Confidentiality and Medical Privilege — a Comparison of French and German Law. European Journal of Health Law. 5 (2), 89-116
Michalowski, S., (1997). Schutz der Vertraulichkeit strafrechtlich relevanter Patienteninformationen. Zeitschrift für die gesamte Strafrechtswissenschaft. 109 (3)
Michalowski, S., (1997). Protection of Medical Confidentiality without a Medical Privilege? — A Discussion of the English and the German Approach. Medical Law International. 2 (4), 277-289
Books (8)
Michalowski, S., Parra Norato, JA. and Piñeros Rodríguez, T., (2024). Principales implicados La selección de los máximos responsables y partícipes no determinantes en la Jurisdicción Especial para la Paz, lecciones del Caso 03. Dejusticia. 6287517808. 9786287517806
Michalowski, S., Cruz Rodriguez, M., Orjuela Ruiz, A. and Gomez Betancur, L., (2020). Terceros Civiles ante la Jurisdiccion Especial Para la Paz. Dejusticia. 9789585597228
Michalowski, S., Sanchez Leon, C., Marin Lopez, D., Jimenez Ospina, A., Martinez Carrillo, H., Dominguez Mazhari, V. and Arroyave Velasquez, LM., (2018). Entre coaccion y colaboracion - verdad judicial, actores economicos y conflicto armado en Colombia. Centro de Estudios de Derecho, Justicia y Sociedad, Dejusticia. 9789585441453
Michalowski, S., (2016). Unconstitutional Regimes and the Validity of Sovereign Debt. Routledge
Michalowski, S., (2013). Corporate Accountability in the Context of Transitional Justice. Routledge. 9780415524902
Michalowski, S., (2007). Unconstitutional regimes and the validity of sovereign debt: A legal perspective. 9780754647935
Michalowski, S., (2003). Medical Confidentiality and Crime. Routledge. 9780754622949
Michalowski, S. and Woods, L., (1999). German Constitutional Law The Protection of Civil Liberties. Dartmouth Publishing Company. 1855219204. 9781855219205
Book chapters (11)
Michalowski, S., (2020). The Use of Age as a Triage Criterion. In: Covid-19, Law and Human Rights : Essex Dialogues. A Project of the School of Law and Human Rights Centre. Editors: Ferstman, C. and Fagan, A., . University of Essex. 93- 100. 978-1-5272-6632-2
Bueno De Mesquita, J. and Michalowski, S., (2020). The Right to Health: A Discussion. In: Covid-19, Law and Human Rights : Essex Dialogues. A Project of the School of Law and Human Rights Centre. Editors: Ferstman, C. and Fagan, A., . University of Essex. 83- 84. 978-1-5272-6632-2
(2014). Corporate Accountability in the Context of Transitional Justice. In: Corporate Accountability in the Context of Transitional Justice. Editors: Michalowski, S., . Routledge. 52- 72
Michalowski, S., (2014). Article 3 - Right to the Integrity of the Person. In: Commentary on the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights. Editors: Peers, S., Hervey, T., Kenner, J. and Ward, A., . Beck/Hart Publishing. 39- 60. 978-1849463089
Michalowski, S., (2014). Article 3 – Right to the Integrity of the Person. In: The EU Charter of Fundamental Rights. Nomos. 82- 103
Michalowski, S., (2014). Right to the Integrity of the Person. In: Eu Charter of Fundamental Rights A Commentary. 39- 60
Michalowski, S., (2013). Due diligence and complicity: a relationship in need of clarification. In: Human Rights Obligations of Business. Cambridge University Press. 218- 242. 9781107596177
Michalowski, S., (2013). Introduction. In: Corporate Accountability in the Context of Transitional Justice. Editors: Michalowski, S., . Routledge. 1- 6. 978-0-415-52490-2
Michalowski, S., (2010). El rol del consentimiento informado en la discusi�n de la legalizaci�n de eutanasia activa [The role of informed consent in the discussion on the legalisation of euthanasia]. In: Autonom�a personal y decisiones m�dicas: Cuestiones �ticas y jur�dicas. Editors: Burgos Mendoza, B., . Aranzadi/Thomson -Reuters. 255- 278. 9788447034048
Michalowski, S., (2006). Repayment of Sovereign Debts from a Legal Perspective: The Example of Argentina. In: Human Rights and Capitalism. Edward Elgar Publishing. 303- 329. 9781845422684
Michalowski, S., (2005). Human Rights in Times of Economic Crisis: The Example of Argentina. In: Global Governance and the Quest for Justice Volume IV Human Rights. 33- 51
Reports and Papers (13)
Michalowski, S. and Rodríguez, MC., (2022). Más allá de los máximos responsablesLos partícipes no determinantes en los crímenes más graves y representativos ante la Jurisdicción Especial para la PazLos
Michalowski, S. and Rodriguez, MC., (2022). Reflexiones sobre la remisión temprana de comparecientes a la Unidad de Investigación y Acusación El caso fundacional de Almario Rojas
Michalowski, S., Cruz Rodriguez, M. and Martinez Carrillo, H., (2021). ¿Cómo contribuir a la paz con verdad y justicia?: Aportes a la verdad y reconocimiento de responsabilidad por quienes serán seleccionados en la Jurisdicción Especial para la Paz
Michalowski, S. and Rodríguez, MC., (2021). Máximos responsables y sanciones inferiores a 5 años Recomendaciones preliminares sobre la Sentencia TP-SA 230/21
Michalowski, S., Rodríguez, MC. and Carrillo, HM., (2021). Máximos responsables, planes, patrones y políticas de macrocriminalidad en el caso 001 de la Jurisdicción Especial para la Paz Análisis del Auto 19 de 2021 de la Sala de Reconocimiento
Michalowski, S., Han-Pile, B., Serôdio Mendes, F., Carniato, B. and Martin, W., (2020). Triage in the COVID-19 Pandemic Bioethical and Human Rights Considerations
Michalowski, S., Cruz Rodriguez, M. and Martinez Carrillo, H., (2020). A quienes sancionar? Maximos responsables y participacion determinante en la Jurisdiccion Especial para la Paz
Michalowski, S., Jiménez Ospina, A., Martinez Carrillo, H. and Marín López, D., (2019). Los terceros complejos: la competencia de la Jurisdicción Especial para la Paz
Michalowski, S., Jimenez Ospina, A., Martinez Carrillo, H. and Marin Lopez, D., (2019). Los terceros complejos: lacompetencia de la Jurisdicción Especial para la Paz, Resumen Ejecutivo
Michalowski, S., Cruz Rodriguez, M., Orjuela Ruiz, A. and Gomez Betancur, L., (2019). ABC del sometimiento voluntario de la JEP
Michalowski, S. and Martin, W., (2016). THREE JURISDICTIONS REPORT Towards Compliance with CRPD Art. 12 in Capacity/Incapacity Legislation across the UK
Martin, W., Michalowski, S., Jütten, T. and Burch, M., (2014). Achieving CRPD Compliance: Is the Mental Capacity Act of England and Wales compatible with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disability? If not, what next?
Van Ho, T., Yilmaz Vastardis, A., Leader, S., Michalowski, S., Netto, U., Danesi, R., Ong, D. and Wlodarczak, B., (2011). Corporate Liability in a New Setting: Shell and the Changing Legal Landscape for the Multinational Oil Industry in the Niger Delta
Other (4)
Michalowski, S. and Martínez Carrillo, H., (2021).Submission to the UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights in response to the consultation on business in conflict and post-conflict contexts,University of Essex Transitional Justice Network
Michalowski, S., Parra Norato, J., Rodríguez Franco, D., Uprimny Yepes, R., Jiménez Ospina, A., Marín López, D. and Martínez Carrillo, HI., (2018).Concepto de la Red de Justicia Transicional de la Universidad de Essex y el Centro de Estudios de Derecho, Justicia y Sociedad- Dejusticia sobre las cuestiones planteadas en el Auto AP-TP-SA-ECM 002 de 2018.,University of Essex Transitional Justice Network
Michalowski, S., Uprimny Yepes, R., Sanchez, NC., Martinez Carrillo, H., Junieles Acosta, I. and Dominguez, X., (2018).Consideraciones a propósito de la decisión adoptada por la Sala de Definición de Situaciones Jurídicas de la JEP el 7 de mayo de 2018 ante la solicitud de sometimiento voluntario elevada por David Char Navas (Resolución número 000084),University of Essex Transitional Justice Network
Michalowski, S., (2018).Compilación de las intervenciones del Transitional Justice Network de la Universidad de Essex (ETJN), el Centro de Estudios de Derecho, Justicia y Sociedad (Dejusticia) y el Essex Armed Conflict and Crisis Hub de la Universidad de Essex ante la Jurisdiccion Especial Para la Paz,University of Essex, Transitional Justice Network
Grants and funding
2025
Implementing waivers of prosecution in practice
University of Essex (QR Impact Fund)
2023
Supporting the inclusion of economic actors in the macro case 08 of the Special Jurisdiction for Peace
University of Essex (QR Impact Fund)
2021
Can transitional justice (TJ) be a vehicle for development in post-conflict situations?
University of Essex (GCRF)
Fulfilling the state obligation to investigate, prosecute and punish international crimes through alternatives to prison sentences - lessons from Colombia
British Academy
Third-party actors and transitional justice: when do they qualify as most responsible for violations of human rights and how to conceptualise their duty to repair the victims?
University of Essex (ESRC IAA)
2020
Supporting the work of the Colombian Special Jurisdiction for Peace
University of Essex (GCRF)
Visiting Fellowship for Jaime Andr�s Contreras Fonseca
University of Essex (GCRF)
Enabling Victims Participation at the Special Jurisdiction for Peace in Colombia and access to Reparation
University of Essex (GCRF)
Assisting the Colombian Special Jurisdiction for Peace with defining the concept of �most responsible� for the most serious international crimes
University of Essex (GCRF)
Ensuring Respect for Human Rights in Locked-Down Care Homes
Arts and Humanities Research Council
Conditionalities in the Colombian Special Jurisdiction for Peace
University of Essex (ESRC IAA)
Helping the Special Jurisdiction for Peace to address questions of harm and conditionalities
University of Essex (ESRC IAA)
Enabling Victims Participation at the Special Jurisdiction for Peace in Colombia and access to Reparation
University of Essex (GCRF)
2019
Rethinking Child Law and Policy
Arts and Humanities Research Council
Supporting the Colombian transitional justice process
University of Essex (GCRF)
Preparation of large grant related to an Observatory of the Special Jurisdiction for the Peace (�JEP�) in Colombia
University of Essex (GCRF)
Human rights research methods summer school
University of Essex (GCRF)
Road map on how the Colombian Special Jurisdiction for peace should deal with third party actors
University of Essex (GCRF)
Legitimacy, accountability, victims' participation and reparation in transitional justice settings - lessons from and for Colombia
Arts and Humanities Research Council
2017
Integrating corporate actors into transitional justice processes - the example of Colombia
The British Academy
Mental Health and Justice
Wellcome Trust
2016
Mental Health and Justice
Wellcome Trust
Transitional Justice System: Peace Agreement between the Colombian Government and FARC
University of Essex
2015
UK Preparation for the UN CRPD Engagement Process: A Three-Jurisdiction Approach
Arts And Humanities Research Council
2012
Towards a Conceptualisation of the Economic and Social Dimensions of Transitional Justice
The British Academy
2009
Corporate Complicity & Transitional Justice
The British Academy
Contact
Academic support hours:
Autumn Term and Spring Term: On Study Leave
