Jeremy Waldron
New Zealand legal philosopher and critic of judicial review.
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Jeremy Waldron, born 13 October 1953, is a New Zealand legal philosopher and a leading figure in legal and political philosophy. He holds a University Professorship at New York University School of Law, is affiliated with its Department of Philosophy, and is also an adjunct professor at Victoria University of Wellington. He previously served as the Chichele Professor of Social and Political Theory at All Souls College, Oxford. Waldron was educated at Southland Boys' High School and the University of Otago, earning a BA and an LLB, before completing a DPhil at Lincoln College, Oxford, under Ronald Dworkin and Alan Ryan. His academic career includes teaching at Otago, Lincoln College, the University of Edinburgh, Berkeley Law, Princeton, and Columbia Law School. He has delivered several notable lecture series, including the Seeley Lectures at Cambridge, the Carlyle and Storrs Lectures at Oxford and Yale, and the Gifford Lectures at Edinburgh. Waldron is a liberal and normative legal positivist who has written extensively on private property, John Locke, and human dignity. He opposes judicial review of legislation and torture, arguing both conflict with democratic principles, and believes hate speech should not be protected by the First Amendment. He has criticized analytic legal philosophy for neglecting political theory. His later work develops a non-religious, non-Kantian concept of human dignity, based on a thought experiment of elevating all people to a single high rank, a topic he explored in his 2009 Tanner Lectures and subsequent book. Waldron is a prominent critic of judicial review’s compatibility with democracy, arguing it has no inherent advantage over legislative rights protection under certain democratic conditions. He has expressed sympathy for judicial minimalism, citing Sandra Day O’Connor, Ruth Ginsburg, and Felix Frankfurter as examples. He was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1998 and the American Philosophical Society in 2015, and received an honorary doctorate from the University of Otago, which later established a professorial chair in jurisprudence in his name. His longtime partner is Columbia Law School professor Carol Sanger.
- field
- Legal philosophy, political philosophy
- nationality
- New Zealand
- known_for
- Criticism of judicial review, work on human dignity, normative legal positivism
Lore & Background
Jeremy Waldron is a New Zealand legal philosopher who holds a University Professorship at the New York University School of Law and is affiliated with its Department of Philosophy, having previously served as the Chichele Professor of Social and Political Theory at All Souls College, Oxford. He also holds an adjunct professorship at Victoria University of Wellington. Waldron is considered one of the world’s leading legal and political philosophers. He was educated at Southland Boys’ High School, earned a B.A. and an LL.B. from the University of Otago, and completed a D.Phil. at Lincoln College, Oxford, under Ronald Dworkin and Alan Ryan. His academic career includes teaching positions at Otago, Lincoln College, the University of Edinburgh, Berkeley Law, Princeton, and Columbia Law School. At New York University, he teaches courses on the Rule of Law, Jurisprudence, and seminars on Property and Human Dignity, and co-convenes the Colloquium on Legal, Social and Political Philosophy. He has delivered major lecture series including the Seeley Lectures, Carlyle Lectures, Storrs Lectures, and Gifford Lectures. Waldron is a liberal and a normative legal positivist. He has written extensively on private property and the philosophy of John Locke. He opposes judicial review of legislation and torture, arguing both conflict with democratic principles, and believes hate speech should not be protected by the First Amendment. He has criticized analytic legal philosophy for neglecting questions of political theory. His later work develops a non-religious, non-Kantian concept of human dignity, based on the idea of elevating all people to a single high rank or caste, a theme he explored in his Tanner Lectures published as *Dignity, Rank and Rights*.
Reader's Guide
Waldron is a liberal and a normative legal positivist. He has written extensively on private property and the political and legal philosophy of John Locke. He is an opponent of judicial review of legislation and of torture, both of which he believes to be in tension with democratic principles. He believes hate speech should not be protected by the First Amendment. Waldron has criticized analytic legal philosophy for failing to engage with political theory. His later work provides a non-religious and non-Kantian concept of human dignity, based on a thought experiment of leveling up all human beings to the rank of nobility.
Did You Know?
- Waldron earned his D.Phil. at Lincoln College, Oxford, under legal philosopher Ronald Dworkin and political theorist Alan Ryan, graduating in 1986.
- Waldron's later work provides a non-religious and non-Kantian concept of human dignity, based on a thought experiment of leveling up all human beings to the rank of nobility.
- Sandrine Baume identified Waldron and Bruce Ackerman as leading critics of the compatibility of judicial review with democracy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Jeremy Waldron?
Jeremy Waldron is a New Zealand-born legal and political philosopher, born on 13 October 1953, widely regarded as one of the leading thinkers in his field today. He works at the intersection of law, ethics, and political theory.
What is Jeremy Waldron most known for?
He is best known for his sustained philosophical critique of judicial review, his writings on human dignity as a foundation for legal rights, and his contributions to normative legal positivism.
Where does Jeremy Waldron teach?
He holds a University Professorship at New York University School of Law with a joint affiliation to NYU's Philosophy Department, and also serves as an adjunct professor at Victoria University of Wellington. He previously held the Chichele Professorship of Social and Political Theory at All Souls College, Oxford.
What is Jeremy Waldron's argument against judicial review?
Waldron contends that when courts have the final say on deeply contested moral and political questions, they effectively override the democratic will of legislatures. He argues that citizens deserve to have their elected representatives make the ultimate call on such matters rather than judges.
Why is Jeremy Waldron important to legal philosophy?
His work fundamentally reframes debates over the relationship between democratic legislation, judicial authority, and individual rights. By combining rigorous analytic philosophy with a strong democratic commitment, he has influenced how scholars worldwide think about the proper role of law in a pluralistic society.
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