Wednesday, April 2, 2025

David Dyzenhaus honorary degree presentation at Wits

Photo courtesy of the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg

David Dyzenhaus, a University Professor in the Faculty of Law and the department of philosophy in the Faculty of Arts & Science, has received an honorary doctorate from Wits, the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg.

The university awards honorary doctorates recognizing individuals who have made lasting contributions to their respective fields, advancing knowledge, research and policy that benefit society at large. Dyzenhaus is recognized for his outstanding contributions to the study of constitutionalism, the rule of law and legal theory.

An expert on the works of 17th-century English philosopher Thomas Hobbes, Dyzenhaus holds a Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Oxford. His scholarly interests were first shaped by upbringing in pre-democratic South Africa. During apartheid, he completed his bachelor and law degrees at Wits, leading to a career-long fascination of rule of law and administrative law, the substantive area of law he teaches.

Dyzenhaus, who holds U of T’s Albert Abel Chair of Law, joined U of T in 1990. He is a fellow of the Royal Society of Canada and a corresponding fellow of the British Academy. He has received numerous awards and honours, including a fellowship from the Royal Society of Canada and a Guggenheim Fellowship. In 2023, he was awarded the Gold Medal, the highest research honour conferred by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC). Most recently, he received the prestigious Killam Prize for social sciences.

"As a distinguished scholar and educator, David has significantly influenced legal theory and philosophy,” says University Professor Jutta Brunnée, dean of the Faculty of Law and James Marshall Tory Dean’s Chair. “I know that receiving an honorary degree from his alma mater is a recognition that is especially meaningful to David and I am delighted he has been honoured in this way.”

Dyzenhaus received his honorary Doctor of Laws at the Wits Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management convocation ceremony on April 1.

Read the full Wits citation (PDF)