Mauricio García Villegas

Mauricio García Villegas

2015 Honorary Doctor

Professor at the National University of Colombia

Mauricio García Villegas has spent most of his academic career studying the social and political dimension of law in Latin America, France and the United States. 

His research has contributed significantly to the current progress of sociology of law and legal theory in Latin America. 

Among the variety of topics covered by his publications the following excel: the symbolic force of law and its role in building either legitimacy or domination; the different ways of understanding the relationship between political power, law and State in Europe and the Americas; the relationship between law, power and a theoretical model to explain the culture of non-compliance with rules in Latin America.

Commitments and teaching

Another important part of the work of Professor García Villegas has been aimed at defending the rule of law, democracy and peace in Colombia, a country that has suffered serious social and political conflicts in the last fifty years. 
His opinions and his research on these issues have had a major impact in the public debate in Colombia.

Professor García Villegas has been honored with many invitations to teach at universities abroad, particularly in France, Brazil and the United States, countries where he has published a good portion of his work and where he regularly participates in academic projects.