Professor Jan Michiel Otto (director)

Position:
  • Professor/Director
Expertise:
  • Law, governance and development
  • Sharia and national law
  • Local government, environment and land tenure


Telephone number: +31 (0)71 527 7290
E-Mail: j.m.otto@law.leidenuniv.nl
Faculty / Department: Faculteit Rechtsgeleerdheid, Instituut voor Metajuridica, Recht en bestuur ontwikkelingslanden/VVI
Office Address: Kamerlingh Onnes Gebouw
Steenschuur 25
2311 ES Leiden
Room number B315


Prof. dr. Jan Michiel Otto (1952) is professor of Law and Governance in Developing Countries and director of the Van Vollenhoven Institute for Law, Governance, and Development. He studied law at the University of Leiden and specialised in development administration at both Leiden and the Free University of Amsterdam.

Having worked for the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs and in various research assignments, he became director of the Van Vollenhoven Institute in 1983. In 1987 he defended a dissertation entitled Aan de voet van de piramide: overheidsinstellingen en platttelandsontwikkeling in Egypte, [At the foot of the pyramid, state institutions and rural development in Egypt.] Since, he has published extensively on various topics of law and administration in developing countries, including Indonesia, China, Egypt and South Africa. In recent years he has published among others on issues of 'good governance', as well as on comparative sharia and national law in the Muslim world. 

Prof. Otto teaches a number of interdisciplinary courses on law, governance and development and the VVI provides training to professionals, a.o. of the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He has acted as project leader in research projects concerning Indonesian environmental law and land law, Indonesian courts, the Indonesian national human rights commission, law-making and legal transformation in China, implementation of law in China, law and traditional authority in South Africa, customary law and chiefs in Ghana, sharia and national law in twelve Muslim countries, legalization of land tenure as a means of alleviating rural poverty, and several others.

Professor Otto has occupied various positions within and outside the academic world. Presently he is member of the Board of Advisors of IDLO, the International Development Law Organization, in Rome. He also is a founding board member of the Centre for International Legal Cooperation (formerly the Dutch Council for Legal Cooperation with Indonesia), The Hague. Professor Otto is General Editor (with dr. Benjamin van Rooij, Leiden) of the Series on Law, Governance and Development, published by Amsterdam University Press.


Selected publications    


1. Sharia and national law

(2011) Otto, J.M. & Mason, H.E. (Eds.) Delicate Debates on Islam. Policymakers and Academics Speaking with Each Other. Leiden: Leiden University Press.

(2010) Sharia incorporated. A Comparative Overview of the Legal Systems of Twelve Muslim Countries in Past and Present, Leiden: Leiden University Press. Editor; author of Introduction: Investigating the role of sharia in national law (pp 17-49);  Sharia and national law in Indonesia (pp 433-489); Towards comparative conclusions on the role of sharia in national law (pp 613-653).  

(2009) Islam, Family Law and Constitutional Context in Indonesia. In: E. Cotran & M. Lau (Eds.), Yearbook of Islamic and Middle Eastern Law, 13 (2006-2007), pp. 73-86. Leiden/Boston: Brill. 

(2009) Rule of Law, Adat Law and Sharia: 1901, 2001 and Monitoring the Next Phase. Hague Journal on the Rule of Law, 1 (1), pp. 15-20. 

(2008) Sharia and National Law in Muslim Countries: Tensions and Opportunies for Dutch and EU Foreign Policy. Law, Governance and Development. Research & Policy Notes. Leiden: Leiden University Press.

(2008) Opstandig advocaat staat alleen. Orde van de Dag. Een uitgave van de Nederlandse Orde van Advocaten en Elsevier Juridisch, 11-09-2008

(2008) Ook moslims staan op voor rechter. NRC Handelsblad, 12-09-2008

(2007) ‘The compatibility of sharia with the rule of law. Fundamental conflict: between civilisations? Within civilisations? Or between scholars?’, in Adriaan in’t Groen et al. (red.)  Knowledge in Ferment:  Dilemmas in Science, Scholarship and Society. Leiden: Leiden University Press, blz. 137 – 154.  

(2006) Sharia en nationaal recht: rechtssystemen in moslimlanden tussen traditie, politiek en rechtsstaat, WRR verkenningen ; 11, Amsterdam: Amsterdam University Press.

(2006) (met A.J. Dekker en L.J. van Soest-Zuurdeeg (red.) Sharia en nationaal recht in twaalf moslimlanden, WRR webpublicaties ; 13, Amsterdam: Amsterdam University Press.

(2006) ‘Sharia en nationaal recht in Indonesië’, in J.M. Otto, A.J. Dekker en L.J. van Soest-Zuurdeeg (red.) Sharia en nationaal recht in twaalf moslimlanden, WRR webpublicaties ; 13, Amsterdam: Amsterdam University Press,  blz. 269-302.

(2006) (met M. Barends) ‘Sharia en nationaal recht in Pakistan’, in J.M. Otto, A.J. Dekker en L.J. van Soest-Zuurdeeg (red.) Sharia en nationaal recht in twaalf moslimlanden, WRR webpublicaties ; 13, Amsterdam: Amsterdam University Press, blz. 235-268.  

(2006) ‘Sharia en recht: botsing of beschaving?’ ABG,de Academische Boekengids, 56: 3-6.  

(2004) ‘De verhouding tussen sharia en nationaal recht volgens 'essentialisten' en 'multiplisten'’, blz. 145-172 in B.C. Labuschage (red.) Religie als bron van sociale cohesie in de democratische rechtsstaat,  Nijmegen: Ars Aequi.    


2. Law, Governance and Development

(2009) Rule of Law Promotion, Land Tenure and Poverty Alleviation: Questioning the Assumptions of Hernando de Soto. Hague Journal on the Rule of Law, 1 (1), pp. 173-194.

(2008) (with B. van Rooij and J. Arnscheidt) Lawmaking for development: An introduction. In: J. Arnscheidt, B. van Rooij en J.M. Otto (Eds.) Lawmaking for Development. Explorations into the Theory and Practice of International Legislative Projects (Law, Governance and Development), pp. 11-22. Leiden: Leiden University Press.

(2008) (with W.S.R. Stoter and J. Arnscheidt) Using legislative theory to improve law and development assistance. In: J. Arnscheidt, B. van Rooij & J.M. Otto (Eds.) Lawmaking for Development. Explorations into the Theory and Practice of International Legislative Projects (Law, Governance and Development), pp. 53-74. Leiden: Leiden University Press.

(2008) (with J. Arnscheidt and B. van Rooij  (Eds.)) Lawmaking for Development. Explorations into the Theory and Practice of International Legislative Projects. Leiden: Leiden University Press.  

(2006) 'The odds of "liberalisation" as an informing principle of law, governance and development'  in E.Nieuwenhuys, ed. Neo-Liberal Globalism and social sustainable Globalisation (International Studies in sociology and social anthropology, vol. 100). Leiden: Brill, blz. 149-178.  

(2004) (with W.S.R. Stoter and J. Arnscheidt) ‘Using legislative theory to improve law and development projects’, RegelMaat.Kwartaalblad voor Wetgevingsvraagstukken 4: blz. 121-135.  

(2002) ‘Moet rechtsantropologie?’ Recht der Werkelijkheid 2: blz. 51-55.  

(2001) ‘Goed bestuur en rechtszekerheid als doelen van ontwikkeling’ in WRR,  Ontwikkelingsbeleid en goed bestuur, Rapporten aan de Regering  ; 58, Den Haag: SDU Uitgevers, blz. 279- 335.  

(2000) ‘Reële rechtszekerheid in ontwikkelingslanden’, [Leiden: Universiteit Leiden], Inaugurele rede Universiteit Leiden.  

(1999) Lokaal bestuur in ontwikkelingslanden, Muiderberg: Uitgeverij Coutinho.  

(1998) ‘Misdaadpreventie op buurtniveau door overheid en burger: bestuurskun­di­ge wijsheid uit het oosten?’ in Bemel­mans-Videc, M.L. (red.) Bestuurs­kunde in hoofdlij­nen: liber Amicorum aangeboden aan Prof. dr. A. van Braam,  Leiden: RU, Vak­groep Bestuurs­kunde,  blz. 223-244.  

(1997) ‘Ontwikkelingssamenwerking en goed bestuur’, Internationale Spectator 51, no.4: blz. 223-229.  

(1997) 'Good governance’: bestuur en recht in de Nederlandse ontwikkelingssamenwerking’, Beleid & maatschappij 24, afl. 4: blz. 189-199.      


3.China  

(2002) (with co-editors Jianfu Chen and Yuwen Li) Implementation of Law in the People's Republic of China, The Hague; London; Boston: Kluwer Law International.  

(2002) ‘Towards an analytical framework. Real legal certainty and its explanatory factors’ in Jianfu Chen, Yuwen Li   and Jan Michiel Otto (eds.), Implementation of Law in the People's Republic of China, The Hague; London; Boston: Kluwer Law International, blz. 23 – 34.  

(2000) (with co-editors M. Polak, J. Chen, Y. Li) Law-making in the People’s Republic ofChina, The London-Leiden series on law, administration, and development ; 5, The Hague; Boston: Kluwer Law International.

(2000) (with Y. Li). ‘An overview of law-making in China’ in  J.M. Otto, M.V. Polak, J. Chen & Y. Li (eds.)  Law-making in the People’s Republic of China, The London-Leiden series on law, administration, and development ; 5, The Hague; Boston: Kluwer Law International, blz. 1-17.

(2000) ‘Conclusion: a comparativist's outlook on law-making in China’, in J.M. Otto, M.V. Polak, J. Chen & Y. Li (eds.) Law-making in the People’s Republic of China, The London-Leiden series on law, administration, and development ; 5, The Hague; Boston: Kluwer Law International, blz. 215-233.    


4.Indonesia

(2008) Bringing a Sense of Unity to Legal Sciences in Indonesia, a Tribute to Prof. Arief Sidharta. In: R. Oktoberina & N. Savitri (Eds.), Butir-Butir Pemikiran Dalan Hukum: Memperingati 70 Tahun Prof. Dr. B. Arief Sidharta, pp. 3-6. Bandung

(2007) 'International Legal Cooperation: how Indonesians and Dutch pioneered a global trend', LSD (Law, Society & Development) nr. 2 (forthcoming)  

(2003) ‘ Incoherence in Environmental Law and the Solutions of Co-ordination, Harmonization and Integration’, in A. Bedner and N. Niessen (eds.) Towards Integrated Environmental Law in Indonesia?,  Leiden: Research School CNWS, blz. 11- 20.

(2002) ‘The mystery of legal failure and the mastery of legal education’ in Kasim, I. (ed.) Sosok guru dan illmuwan yang kritis dan konsisten: kumpulan tulisan peringatan 70 tahun Prof. Soetandyo Wignosoebroto, [[Jakarta]: Wahana Lingkungan Hidup Indonesia (Walhi), blz. 299-328.

(2002) ‘ De andere wereld van recht en bestuur’ in L. Blussé en I. Ooms (red.) Kennis en Compagnie. De Verenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie en de Moderne Wetenschap, [Amsterdam]: Uitgeverij Balans, blz. 71 – 83.

(1996) ‘Implementation of environmental law in Indonesia: some administrative and judicial challenges, Indonesian Law and Administration Review, II, 1: 32-71.  

(1991) ‘ Een Minahasser in Bandoeng: Indonesische oppo­sitie in de koloniale ge­meen­te’, in H.A. Poeze en P. Schoorl (eds) Excursies inCelebes, Reprint VVI; 91/1, Leiden: KITLV, blz. 185-215.    


5.Egypt  

(1995) ‘Jurists, nation-building, and social tensions in Egypt’, in B. Galjart and P. Silva (eds.). Designers of development: intellectuals and technocrats in theThird World, Leiden: Research School CNWS, blz. 107 - 128.  

(1993) ‘ Politics, administration and rural development in Egypt’ in H. K. Asmerom and R.B. Jain (eds.), Politics, administration and public policy in developing countries, Amsterdam: VU University Press, blz. 103 – 133.  

(1987) Aan de voet van de piramide. Overheidsinstellingen en plattelandsinstellingen in Egypte. Een onderzoek aan de basis, Leiden: DSWO Press, Proefschrift Leiden.     

Last Modified: 31-01-2013