Sarah McGibbon (S.J.)
Dr Sarah McGibbon is a Lecturer in the Foundations of Law Department. She completed her PhD research in the faculty's Department of International and European Law during 2018 - 2022, under the supervision of Professor Jure Vidmar and Dr Wim Muller. Sarah's PhD research focused on the international legal capacity and responsibility of non-state effective territorial entities. Sarah's current research focuses on the concept of belonging in international law, and its potential to harness a transnational identity to drive collective action in the face of global challenges such as climate change.
Sarah joined UM to conduct her PhD research in 2018, relocating from South Africa where she was a practising attorney in the field of administrative, constitutional and human rights law.
Sarah has previously worked as a Lecturer in International Peace and Security at Durham University in the United Kingdom, where she was also the Deputy Director of the Durham Global Security Institute.
Sarah obtained her LLB (cum laude) at the University of Pretoria, South Africa, and later her LLM (specialising in International Law) at the University of Cambridge, UK, where she was a Mandela Magdalene Scholar.
Public international law
State responsibility
Use of force in international law
Non-state actors in international law
Statehood
International human rights law
Critical approaches to international law
Constitutional and administrative law (South Africa)
Sarah completed her LL.B (with distinction) at the University of Pretoria, South Africa in 2011. She subsequently completed her articles of clerkship (required for admission to practise) at a leading South African corporate law firm (Webber Wentzel) and went on to practise there as an Associate. She was admitted as attorney of the High Court in South Africa in May 2014.
From July 2014 to June 2015, Sarah clerked for Justice Johan Froneman at the Constituional Court of South Africa. Thereafter she completed her LLM (specialising in International Law) at the University of Cambridge, UK.
After returning to South Africa, Sarah joined Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr Inc and practised as an Associate in their Public Law team.
Sarah joined the Maastricht Faculty of Law in January 2018 as a PhD candidate. Sarah's research (supervised by Professor Jure Vidmar and Dr Wim Muller) examined the international legal capacity and responsibility of non-state effective territorial entities. She also taught on European Law School courses. Sarah went on to join Durham University in the United Kingdom as a Lecturer in International Peace and Security, where she convened and taught advanced international law modules for the Durham Law School, as well as modules focused on conflict mediation and intervention for the Durham School of Governance and International Affairs. She also held the role of Deputy Director of the Durham Global Security Institute.
Sarah McGibbon (S.J.)
Lecturer