Hubert Smekal

    Law

    Lecturer/ Assistant Professor

    Biography

    Hubert Smekal joins the Department of Law, Maynooth University after working as an Assistant Professor and a Senior Researcher for the last 16 years at Masaryk University, Brno, Czechia. Hubert studied Law and European studies in Brno and Bologna. His research focuses on the interplay between law and politics, especially concerning the EU, courts and human rights issues. Hubert was awarded a year-long Fulbright Post-Doc Research Fellowship (2010–2011), which he spent studying courts and judicial politics at UC Berkeley.

    Hubert authored and co-authored ten books in English and Czech, including the recently-published Domestic Judicial Treatment of European Court of Human Rights Case Law: Beyond Compliance (Kosař et al., Routledge 2020). He authored and co-authored more than 20 peer-reviewed articles, many of which appeared in leading legal, political science and human rights journals such as European Constitutional Law Review, German Law Journal, Netherlands Quarterly of Human Rights, International Journal of Human Rights, European Political Science and Europe-Asia Studies. Hubert has participated in two ERC projects, one H2020 project and three grants from the Czech Science Foundation.

    Hubert has a long international lecturing experience, including four summers spent in China (Shandong University) teaching human rights and EU law. He also lectured at University of Toronto summer schools; Ural University, Yekaterinburg, Russia; and Bilgi University, Istanbul, Turkey. In Maynooth, he will lead courses on EU Law, and Competition and State Aid Law.

    Hubert co-founded and led the Czech Center for Human Rights and Democracy, the first centre of its kind in Czechia. He served two terms as a member of the Czech Human Rights Council, an advisory body to the Czech Government. Hubert led teams drafting reports on various human rights issues for the Czech Government Office, the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the European Network against Racism. He is a member of the Berkeley Center on Comparative Equality and Anti-Discrimination Law. Hubert has been a Fulbright Ambassador at Masaryk University and managed Masaryk University’s participation at the Global Campus of Human Rights, Venice.

    Hubert plays beach volleyball, likes watching ice hockey, and listening to jazz-rock and post-rock on his 1980s vintage HiFi system. He is currently learning Irish and looks forward to practising it at Maynooth.

    Research Interests

    EU Law, human rights, courts, EU

    Books

      Year Publication
    2021 Mimoprávní vlivy na rozhodování českého Ústavního soudu.
    Smekal, Hubert; Benák, Jaroslav; Vyhnánek, Ladislav; Hanych, Monika; Janků, Štěpán (2021) Mimoprávní vlivy na rozhodování českého Ústavního soudu. Brno: MUNI Press. [DOI] [Details]
    2020 Domestic Judicial Treatment of European Court of Human Rights Case Law: Beyond Compliance.
    Kosař, David; Petrov, Jan; Šipulová, Katarína; Smekal, Hubert; Vyhnánek, Ladislav; Janovský, Jozef (2020) Domestic Judicial Treatment of European Court of Human Rights Case Law: Beyond Compliance. Oxon: Routledge. [Details]
    2016 Making Sense of Human Rights Commitments: A Study of Two Emerging European Democracies.
    Smekal, Hubert; Šipulová, Katarína; Pospíšil, Ivo; Janovský, Jozef; Kilian, Petr (2016) Making Sense of Human Rights Commitments: A Study of Two Emerging European Democracies. Brno: MUNI Press. [Details]
    2013 Lidská práva. Ideje, trendy, výzvy a nástrahy.
    Smekal, Hubert (2013) Lidská práva. Ideje, trendy, výzvy a nástrahy. Brno: MUNI Press. [Details]
    2009 Lidská práva v Evropské unii.
    Smekal, Hubert (2009) Lidská práva v Evropské unii. Brno: MUNI Press. [Details]

    Book Chapters

      Year Publication
    2018 'Ideology and International Human Rights Commitments in Post-Communist Regimes : The Cases of the Czech Republic and Slovakia'
    Šipulová, Katarína; Janovský, Jozef; Smekal, Hubert (2018) 'Ideology and International Human Rights Commitments in Post-Communist Regimes : The Cases of the Czech Republic and Slovakia' In: Wind, Marlene (eds). International Courts and Domestic Politics. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. [DOI] [Details]
    2015 'The Czech Republic: On the Road to Rights and Freedoms'
    Holzer, Jan; Smekal, Hubert (2015) 'The Czech Republic: On the Road to Rights and Freedoms' In: Suksi, Markku; Agapiou-Josephides, Kalliope; Lehners, Jean-Paul; Nowak, Manfred (eds). First Fundamental Rights Documents in Europe. Mortsel: Intersentia. [Details]
    2013 'Implementation of the UN Guiding Principles: the Case of the Czech Republic'
    Hermanová, Veronika; Smekal Hubert (2013) 'Implementation of the UN Guiding Principles: the Case of the Czech Republic' In: Márquez Carrasco, Carmen (eds). Spain and the Implementation of the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights: Challenges and Opportunities. Barcelona: Huygens. [Details]
    2009 'The Czech Republic: From Lip Service to Concrete Application'
    Holzer, Jan; Smekal, Hubert (2009) 'The Czech Republic: From Lip Service to Concrete Application' In: Jaichand, Vinodh; Suksi, Markku (eds). 60 Years of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in Europe. Mortsel: Intersentia. [Details]

    Edited Books

      Year Publication
    2018 Beyond Compliance: Implementace rozhodnutí mezinárodních lidskoprávních těles na národní úrovni
    Smekal, Hubert; Ladislav, Vyhnánek (Ed.). (2018) Beyond Compliance: Implementace rozhodnutí mezinárodních lidskoprávních těles na národní úrovni Praha: Wolters Kluwer. [Details]
    2014 Lidská práva v mezinárodní politice
    Dufek, Pavel; Smekal, Hubert (Ed.). (2014) Lidská práva v mezinárodní politice Praha: Wolters Kluwer. [Details]
    2013 Soudcokracie, nebo judicializace politiky?
    Smekal, Hubert; Pospíšil; Ivo (Ed.). (2013) Soudcokracie, nebo judicializace politiky? Brno: Masarykova univerzita. [Details]
    2006 Zahraniční a bezpečnostní politika Slovinska, Chorvatska a Rumunska a vývoj bezpečnostní situace v Bosně a Hercegovině
    Stýskalíková, Věra; Smekal, Hubert (Ed.). (2006) Zahraniční a bezpečnostní politika Slovinska, Chorvatska a Rumunska a vývoj bezpečnostní situace v Bosně a Hercegovině Brno: Mezinárodní politologický ústav. [Details]
    2004 Zahraniční a bezpečnostní politika vybraných zemí Balkánu
    Stýskalíková, Věra; Smekal, Hubert (Ed.). (2004) Zahraniční a bezpečnostní politika vybraných zemí Balkánu Brno: Mezinárodní politologický ústav. [Details]

    Peer Reviewed Journals

      Year Publication
    2021 'Beyond Compliance: odpověď autorů'
    Petrov, Jan; Šipulová, Katarína; Kosař, David; Smekal, Hubert; Vyhnánek, Ladislav (2021) 'Beyond Compliance: odpověď autorů'. Casopis pro pravni vedu a praxi, 29 (2):413-425 [DOI] [Details]
    2021 'Through selective activism towards greater resilience: the Czech Constitutional Court's interventions into high politics in the age of populism'
    Smekal, Hubert; Benák, Jaroslav; Vyhnánek, Ladislav (2021) 'Through selective activism towards greater resilience: the Czech Constitutional Court's interventions into high politics in the age of populism'. International Journal of Human Rights, :1-22 [DOI] [full-text] [Details]
    2021 'Political science in Central and Eastern Europe: integration with limited convergence in Czechia'
    Eberle, Jakub; Smekal, Hubert; Ocelík, Petr; Krpec, Oldřich (2021) 'Political science in Central and Eastern Europe: integration with limited convergence in Czechia'. European Political Science, 20 (1):183-203 [DOI] [Details]
    2021 'Between Human Rights and Transitional Justice: The Dilemma of Constitutional Courts in Post-Communist Central Europe'
    Šipulová, Katarína; Smekal, Hubert (2021) 'Between Human Rights and Transitional Justice: The Dilemma of Constitutional Courts in Post-Communist Central Europe'. Europe-Asia Studies, 73 (1):101-130 [DOI] [Details]
    2021 'Reforming to Please: A Comprehensive Explanation for Non-Exit from the European Court of Human Rights'
    Smekal, Hubert; Tsereteli, Nino (2021) 'Reforming to Please: A Comprehensive Explanation for Non-Exit from the European Court of Human Rights'. European Constitutional Law Review, :1-24 [DOI] [full-text] [Details]
    2020 'Determinants of judicial decisionmaking: the state of the art and the czech perspective'
    Smekal, Hubert; Vyhnánek, Ladislav (2020) 'Determinants of judicial decisionmaking: the state of the art and the czech perspective'. The Lawyer Quarterly, 10 (2):106-129 [Details]
    2018 'The judicial self-government at the international level—A new research agenda'
    Tsereteli, Nino; Smekal, Hubert (2018) 'The judicial self-government at the international level—A new research agenda'. German Law Journal, 19 (7):2137-2164 [DOI] [Details]
    2018 'Searching for a reference: using automated text analysis to study judicial compliance'
    Šipulová, Katarína; Smekal, Hubert; Janovský, Jozef (2018) 'Searching for a reference: using automated text analysis to study judicial compliance'. Masaryk University Journal of Law and Technology, 12 (2):131-160 [DOI] [Details]
    2017 'Postačí vždy jako výzkumná metoda „číst, přemýšlet a psát“?'
    Urbániková, Marína; Smekal, Hubert (2017) 'Postačí vždy jako výzkumná metoda „číst, přemýšlet a psát“?'. Jurisprudence, 26 (4):37-41 [Details]
    2016 'Equal voting power under scrutiny: Czech Constitutional Court on the 5\% threshold in the 2014 European Parliament Elections: Czech Constitutional Court 19 May 2015, Pl. \'US 14/14'
    Smekal, Hubert; Vyhnánek, Ladislav (2016) 'Equal voting power under scrutiny: Czech Constitutional Court on the 5\% threshold in the 2014 European Parliament Elections: Czech Constitutional Court 19 May 2015, Pl. \'US 14/14'. European Constitutional Law Review, 12 (1):148-163 [Details]
    2016 'Výzkum lidských práv: Kritická reflexe současných přístupů'
    Smekal, Hubert; Šipulová, Katarína (2016) 'Výzkum lidských práv: Kritická reflexe současných přístupů'. Stredoevropske politicke studie, 18 (4):381-411 [DOI] [Details]
    2016 'Empirický právní výzkum'
    Smekal, Hubert; Šipulová, Katarína (2016) 'Empirický právní výzkum'. Jurisprudence, 25 (6):31-38 [Details]
    2016 'International Human Rights in Czech Legal Education'
    Kilian, Petr; Pospíšil, Ivo; Smekal, Hubert (2016) 'International Human Rights in Czech Legal Education'. International and Comparative Law Review, 16 (2):87-98 [Details]
    2016 'Narrowing the Divide: Perspectives on the Future of Mixed Methods Report From Central and Eastern Europe'
    Krpec, Oldřich; Ocelík, Petr; Smekal, Hubert (2016) 'Narrowing the Divide: Perspectives on the Future of Mixed Methods Report From Central and Eastern Europe'. Journal of Mixed Methods Research, 11 (1):14-16 [DOI] [Details]
    2015 'Noví aktéři na poli válečných konfliktů: Případová studie Nejvyššího soudu Izraele'
    Fučík, Jakub; Smekal, Hubert (2015) 'Noví aktéři na poli válečných konfliktů: Případová studie Nejvyššího soudu Izraele'. Obrana a strategie, 15 (1):5-18 [DOI] [Details]
    2014 'DH v Czech Republic six years later: On the power of an international human rights court to push through systemic change'
    Smekal, Hubert; Šipulová, Katarína (2014) 'DH v Czech Republic six years later: On the power of an international human rights court to push through systemic change'. Netherlands Quarterly of Human Rights, 32 (3):288-321 [DOI] [Details]
    2014 'Pronikání lidských práv do agendy Evropské unie. Mezinárodní vztahy'
    Smekal, Hubert (2014) 'Pronikání lidských práv do agendy Evropské unie. Mezinárodní vztahy'. Mezinarodni vztahy, 49 (4):81-101 [Details]
    2012 'Zásada non-refoulement a porušovanie predbežných opatrení: Labsi v. Slovensko'
    Šipulová, Katarína; Mareková, Monika; Smekal, Hubert (2012) 'Zásada non-refoulement a porušovanie predbežných opatrení: Labsi v. Slovensko'. Justicna revue, 64 (12):1442-1452 [Details]
    2012 'The Czech Republic and the European Court of Human Rights in 2011'
    Majerčík, Lubomír; Matušinová, Anna; Smekal, Hubert (2012) 'The Czech Republic and the European Court of Human Rights in 2011'. Czech Yearbook of Public & Private International Law, 3 :277-291 [Details]
    2012 'Mezinárodní závazky České republiky v oblasti lidských práv'
    Janků, Linda; Janovský, Jozef; Smekal, Hubert; Šipulová, Katarína (2012) 'Mezinárodní závazky České republiky v oblasti lidských práv'. Stredoevropske politicke studie, 14 (2-3):193-226 [Details]
    2010 'České předsednictví v Radě EU: politický standard, mediální katastrofa'
    Kaniok, Petr; Smekal, Hubert (2010) 'České předsednictví v Radě EU: politický standard, mediální katastrofa'. Czech Journal of Political Science, 17 (1):39-59 [Details]
    2010 'Fragmentace společných hodnot? Výjimky z Listiny základních práv Evropské unie'
    Bončková, Helena; Smekal, Hubert (2010) 'Fragmentace společných hodnot? Výjimky z Listiny základních práv Evropské unie'. Soucasna Evropa, 2 (2):61-81 [Details]
    2009 'The Czech presidency of the EU Council: no triumph, no tragedy'
    Kaniok, Petr; Smekal, Hubert (2009) 'The Czech presidency of the EU Council: no triumph, no tragedy'. Romanian Journal of European Affairs, 9 (4):59-78 [Details]
    2007 'Principy organizace zájmových skupin v ČR: právní předpisy a jejich změna v důsledku procesu evropeizace'
    Pitrová, Markéta; Smekal, Hubert; Suchý, Petr (2007) 'Principy organizace zájmových skupin v ČR: právní předpisy a jejich změna v důsledku procesu evropeizace'. Czech Journal of Political Science, 14 (4):376-388 [Details]

    Published Reports

      Year Publication
    2020 The Politics of Differentiated Integration: What do Governments Want? Country Report-Czechia.
    Havlík, Vratislav; Smekal, Hubert (2020) The Politics of Differentiated Integration: What do Governments Want? Country Report-Czechia. European University Institute, Firenze. [Details]

    Blog

      Year Publication
    2015 Strength and Legitimacy of Control Mechanisms in International Human Rights Treaties: The Moderation Effect.
    Šipulová, Katarína; Smekal, Hubert; Janovský, Jozef (2015) Strength and Legitimacy of Control Mechanisms in International Human Rights Treaties: The Moderation Effect. Blog [Details]

    Book Review

      Year Publication
    2020 Píša Radek: Soudcokraté, zachránci a byrokrati. Soudy a soudci v USA, Izraeli a České republice.
    Hubert Smekal (2020) Píša Radek: Soudcokraté, zachránci a byrokrati. Soudy a soudci v USA, Izraeli a České republice. Book Review [Details]
    2012 Šárka Waisová: Tíha volby: Česká zahraniční politika mezi principy a zájmy.
    Smekal, Hubert (2012) Šárka Waisová: Tíha volby: Česká zahraniční politika mezi principy a zájmy. Book Review [Details]
    2011 Promoting democracy and the rule of law. American and European strategies.
    Smekal, Hubert (2011) Promoting democracy and the rule of law. American and European strategies. Book Review [DOI] [Details]
    2011 Richard Youngs (ed.): The European Union and Democracy Promotion: A Critical Global Assessment.
    Smekal, Hubert (2011) Richard Youngs (ed.): The European Union and Democracy Promotion: A Critical Global Assessment. Book Review [Details]
    2009 Daniel C. Thomas: Helsinský efekt. Mezinárodní zásady, lidská práva a zánik komunismu.
    Smekal, Hubert (2009) Daniel C. Thomas: Helsinský efekt. Mezinárodní zásady, lidská práva a zánik komunismu. Book Review [Details]

    Report

      Year Publication
    2005 Konference The Impact of the European Constitution on the National Political and Legal Systems, Berlin, 13.-16. ledna 2005.
    Smekal, Hubert (2005) Konference The Impact of the European Constitution on the National Political and Legal Systems, Berlin, 13.-16. ledna 2005. Report [Details]

    Committees

      Committee Function From / To
    Research Committee Member 2021 /

    Teaching Interests

    EU Law, human rights, courts, social science methodology