Dr JP Fassnidge, Co-Director of the Centre for Scots Law, held a series of academic events at Waseda University in Tokyo, Japan.
Dr JP Fassnidge, lecturer in criminal law and criminal justice and co-director of the Centre for Scots Law, was invited as a visiting scholar to , by , to participate in a series of academic events between 19 and 29 October 2026, in an effort to strengthen the connections between Aberdeen and Waseda, as well as to establish the grounds for future research collaborations in the areas of criminal law and criminal justice.
Dr Fassnidge delivered a postgraduate seminar for masters students on criminalisation theory, as well as an undergraduate lecture on the same topic to first year criminal law students at Waseda Law School. He also lead a candid discussion with PGR students at the school on academic careers and the challenges and rewards of pursuing an academic career in criminal law theory.
Dr Fassnidge was also invited to deliver a at the on his upcoming research monograph - "Criminalisation Theory: A Metanormative Inquiry", forthcoming with Hart Publishing - where he discussed the main arguments presented in the book, with Japanese interpretation provided by , and a Q&A after the lecture. The lecture was attended by members of faculty at Waseda Law School, as well as PGRs, LLM students, and undergraduate students.
Dr Fassnidge stated: "I hope that this visit serves as the basis for many further conversations and collaborations with colleagues from Waseda, and I am particularly heartened to see that criminal law theory and cross-jurisdictional dialogue in the understanding of the philosophical foundations of the criminal law is seen as a fruitful area of scholarship by Japanese colleagues. I look forward to continue working to keep this productive dialogue going, and I am extremely grateful to my hosts for their hospitality, kindness, and stimulating engagement with each other's work."
