Prof. Dr. iur. Elisabetta Fiocchi

Rämistrasse 74/51
8001 Zürich

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Welcome to this website.

My academic work lies at the intersection of the history of international law, the history of land registration, and broader reflections on the role of language and knowledge in legal thought. I study how legal categories and institutions have evolved over time, shaping our modern understanding of law, sovereignty, and space.

A specific focus has been placed on the work of, among others, Emer de Vattel, whose writings were pivotal in defining the modern law of nations and the idea of sovereignty. Through Vattel, I explore how the language of international law has constructed the relationship between states, peoples, and territories, revealing the tension between law and power, principles and realities.

Another strand of my research concerns the history of land registration—the legal systems through which property rights are recorded and made public. I examine how ownership has been made legally “visible,” how these mechanisms structure the relation between individuals and the state, and how European models were adapted in colonial contexts as tools of legitimacy and territorial control. Land registration thus shows how law organizes space and translates power into legal form.

Teaching and dialogue with students are integral to my academic activity. I promote an active, participatory approach grounded in discussion, engagement with sources, and comparison across legal traditions. For me, the university is a shared space of knowledge where curiosity and critical reflection guide learning.

A further key dimension of my work is multilingualism, which I see as an intellectual and cultural asset. Teaching and researching in Switzerland allows engagement with its linguistic diversity and rich legal traditions. In my courses and seminars, I encourage exchange among different linguistic regions, convinced that plurality of languages fosters openness and understanding.

Through interdisciplinary projects and international collaborations, I seek to connect historical inquiry with comparative insight, showing how law is a human and evolving phenomenon shaped by time, language, and culture.

This website reflects that vision: an invitation to explore law not as a closed system of rules, but as a living history of ideas and practices continually shaping how we understand the world.