Dr Mingzhe Zhu
- Lecturer in Just Transition (School of Law)
Biography
Mingzhe Zhu is a legal theorist and historian who works on the law, human rights, and environmental changes in the past, present, and future. After completing a double bachelor's degree in law and public administration at China University of Political Science and Law (CUPL), he turned to legal theory and focused on the laicisation of legal thoughts for his LLM at the same university that he always holds dear. He defended his doctoral dissertation on the transformations of French civil law doctrine in the 19th and 20th centuries at Sciences Po (2015).
Prior to his appointment at the University of Glasgow, he was Qian Duansheng Distinguished Associate Professor at CUPL (2018-2023) and held a Senior Research Fellowship at the University of Antwerp (2020-2023). He has also held visiting positions in France, Italy, Poland, Croatia, and the United States.
Research interests
Mingzhe's current research focuses on the interactions between climate and human rights regimes and the human rights implications of energy transitions.
More broadly, Mingzhe works on the links between political authority, science, and nature in the Anthropocene, with particular attention to challenging State violence and extractivist capitalism. Integrating radical political ecology in legal studies, he is committed to identifying the root causes of contemporary social and environmental disasters and exploring the transformations of law in the pursuit of a more sustainable future.
Previous projects (selected):
China: A (not so) Gentle Ecological Civiliser
Using ethnographic methods, this project critically examines how Eco-civilisation (EC) and its socio-legal structure function as mechanisms of knowledge and power. It argues that EC operates as a project of cognitive and socio-political transformation, imposing a homogenous view of sustainability by creating a distinction between the “ecologically civilised,” “uncivilised,” and “civilisers”.
Making Sense of the Struggles for Equity in Energy Transitions
This project engages with studies on equitable climate policy and aims to reveal experiences within energy transitioning and the meaning given by actors to the deeds of their struggles. It compares two failing transition-policy: the 2018 carbon-tax augmentation in France and the 2017 coal ban in China. The dynamics of these projects illustrate two approaches to adjusting the management of social and emission inequality by law.
Grand Tour of French Law and Legal Thoughts in China (1877-1952)
This project provides a detailed investigation of legal transplant that highlights the strategic interactions of actors involved in foreign law reception and legal modernisation.
Publications
Selected publications
Zhu, M. (2024) Human rights approach to climate change litigation and its limits. In: Zhang, W. and Liu, H. (eds.) Chinese Yearbook of Human Rights. Brill: Leiden, pp. 137-162. ISBN 9789004697362 (doi: 10.1163/9789004697362_007)
Zhu, M. and Fan, L. (2024) A comparative study of the judicial construction of scientific credibility in climate litigation. Review of European, Comparative and International Environmental Law, 33(2), pp. 250-264. (doi: 10.1111/reel.12542)
Zhu, M. (2023) Climate litigation in a ‘developmental state’: the case of China. Chinese Journal of Environmental Law, 7(2), pp. 200-213. (doi: 10.1163/24686042-12340105)
Zhu, M. (2022) Biodiversity litigation in China: confronting degradation from all sides in the era of ecological civilization. In: Futhazar, G., Maljean-Dubois, S. and Razzaque, J. (eds.) Biodiversity Litigation. Oxford University Press, pp. 119-145. ISBN 9780192865465 (doi: 10.1093/oso/9780192865465.003.0005)
Zhu, M. (2022) The rule of climate policy: how do Chinese judges contribute to climate governance without climate law? Transnational Environmental Law, 11(1), pp. 119-139. (doi: 10.1017/S2047102521000212)
Zhu, M. (2022) On the judicial power's role in climate governance: an observation from the perspective of comparative law. Political Science and Law, 2022(7), pp. 18-33. (doi: 10.15984/j.cnki.1005-9512.2022.07.008)
Zhu, M. (2021) 法典化模式选择的法理辨析 = On the models of codification from the perspective of legal theory. 法制与社会发展(1), pp. 89-112.
All publications
Prior publications
ORCiD
(2019) Legal Philosophy in the Era of Codification Tsinghua University Law Journal ; source: Mingzhe Zhu
(2019) Legal Philosophy of Coexistence for the Ere of Ecological Civilisation Global Law Review ; source: Mingzhe Zhu
(2018) Structure of Champs juridique at the China’s Republican Moment Political Science and Law ; source: Mingzhe Zhu
(2018) Political Theories in Justice: French Republican Laicity and Equality in Jurisprudence Concerning Religious Symbols Jurist ; source: Mingzhe Zhu
(2018) Eurocentrism in The Modernisation of Chinese Law Journal of Comparative Law ; source: Mingzhe Zhu
(2017) French Legal Education in Globalisation China Review of Legal Education ; source: Mingzhe Zhu
(2017) In the Name of the Republic: Family Reforms in the “Republican Moments” China Law Review ; source: Mingzhe Zhu
(2017) Natural Law in Front of Social Questions Tsinghua University Law Journal ; source: Mingzhe Zhu
(2017) Natural Law at Service of Legal History Journal of East China University of Political Science and Law ; source: Mingzhe Zhu
(2016) On the Combative Notion of French Laicity European Studies ; source: Mingzhe Zhu
(2016) Legal Universalism in Front of Nationalism, or the Defeat of French Natural Law Between Wars Pekin University Law Journal ; source: Mingzhe Zhu
(2016) French Legal Philosophy after World War II Graduate Law Review ; source: Mingzhe Zhu
Mingzhe Zhu, (2015) Natural law in French civil law theories (1880-1940) (hal: tel-03507128); source: HAL
(2015) Legal Transplant, Transplant of Doctrines and Tradition Tsinghua University Law Journal ; source: Mingzhe Zhu
(2014) The Images of ‘Legislators’ in the Renovation of French Civil Law Doctrines (1880s-1930s) Soochow Law Journal ; source: Mingzhe Zhu
(2014) Developments of Natural Law Theories since John Finnis’ Natural Law and Natural Rights Tsinghua Journal of Rule of Law ; source: Mingzhe Zhu
(2014) The Travels of French Legal Doctrines in China Peking University Law Review ; source: Mingzhe Zhu
Grants
1 The Making and Unmaking of Oil Cities, University of Ottawa, 3,500 EUR
2 New Trends in Climate Litigation, Natural Resources Defense Council, 6,000 EUR
3 China: The (not so) Gentle Ecological Civiliser, Research Foundation-Flanders, 198,000 EUR
4 Making Sense of the Struggles for Equity in Energy Transitions, French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 30,000 EUR (rewarded but declined due to other commitments)
5 Climate Change Litigation in Comparative Perspective, Canadian Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Scholarships, 21,500 EUR (Postponed due to the pandemic)
6 Comparative Climate Governance, University of Warsaw, Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange, 3,400 EUR
7 Ecologization of Law, Qian Duansheng Foundation endowment, 52,443 EUR
8 Grand Tour of Law and Legal Thoughts between China and France (1877-1952), Chinese Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, 28,000 EUR
9 Sources of Law, CUPL, CUPL Research Starting Grant, 4,000 EUR
10 Doctoral Contract, Chinese Scholarship Council, 58,000 EUR
Supervision
Mingzhe welcomes enquiries from prospective research students interested in human rights and environmental governance, climate law, and critical legal theory.
Ms Liyuan Fan (Supervisor, CUPL & Aix-Marseille University): The Co-production of Scientific & Judicial Authorities in Climate Litigation
Mr Jakub Zwierzchowski (Co-supervisor, University of Silesia): Sustainability in Private Law
Mr Hans Eyong (Co-supervisor, University of Silesia): African Regional Integration
Teaching
Climate Law & Governance
Common Law System & Methods
Jurisprudence
Law & Just Energy Transitions
Additional information
Editorial Experience
Editor:
Chinese Journal of Human Rights (incoming, 2025)
Chinese Journal of Marxism & Law
Editorial Board Member:
Chinese Journal of Environmental Law
Prizes & Awards
Award of Research Excellence, CUPL
Qian Duansheng Distinguished Young Scholar Award
Most Inspiring Teachers, CUPL
Sun Guohua Award for Philosophy of Law, China Law Society
Lecturer of the Year, CUPL
First Award for Comparative Law, China Law Society
Learned Societies
Secretary General, Chinese branch of the Association Henri-Capitant
Adjunct Secretary General, Chinese Society of Comparative Law