[Introduction of New Faculty Member] GILLOT ASSAYAG, Laure, Assistant Professor (non-tenure-track)

Self‑Introduction
Hello, I am Laure Gillot-Assayag, an Assistant Professor at Waseda University.
My research focuses on democratic theory and democratic institutions, political behavior, parliamentary ethics committees and public policy, which I analyse in a transdisciplinary perspective. I am particularly interested in exploring the contentious relationship between politics, ethics, and law.
My work draws on political philosophy, political science, political history, constitutional and parliamentary law. Across these fields, I seek to build bridges between theoretical reflection and real-world political practices.

In my teaching at Waseda, I encourage students to think critically about the contemporary challenges of democracy through an interdisciplinary approach, as I believe that today’s increasingly complex political and social realities require bringing together analytical tools and perspectives from multiple disciplines.

I am currently leading a number of research and publication projects in political theory, political philosophy, political ethics, and parliamentary deontology. I am especially committed to fostering collaborative and global research networks across institutions and countries.

Research Interests
My research seeks to demonstrate that democratic theory and practice can be renewed by placing political ethics and compromise at the center of the reflection. More specifically, I investigate how the creation and reforms of parliamentary ethics committees offer new insights into the evolving relationship between politics and ethics. I also explore how French philosophy can offer conceptual resources for reimagining the meaning and practice of democracy and compromise in contemporary societies.

My recent research develops a comparative perspective on democratic institutions and practice and has been published in Democratic Theory, Dialogue, the Journal of Philosophy of Education, The Journal of French and Francophone Philosophy. I am also the editor of two collective volumes: On The Legacy of Avishai Margalit: The Politics of Decency and Non-Humiliation (Springer, 2026), the first collective volume devoted to the political philosophy of Avishai Margalit, and Theories and Practices of Federalism (Springer, 2026). My Ph.D. dissertation, which develops a theory of compromise inspired by the thought of Paul Ricoeur, drawing on a comparative analysis of parliamentary systems, is scheduled for publication in 2027. At Waseda, I am working on a new book project exploring the relationship between ethics and political cultures.

Profile
I received my Ph.D. in Political Studies from École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales (EHESS, Paris, France) in 2025. Prior to this, I obtained four master’s degrees in law, political philosophy, and transnational history from leading French universities and grandes écoles, including ENS-Ulm, Sciences Po Paris, Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, and Nantes Université. This academic training provided me with a solid and comprehensive interdisciplinary expertise, which I draw upon throughout all aspects of my research.