James Anaya

Stephen James Anaya, born in 1960, is a distinguished American lawyer and educator, currently serving as the 16th Dean of the University of Colorado Boulder Law School. His extensive career in legal academia includes a notable tenure as the James J. Lenoir Professor of Human Rights Law and Policy at the University of Arizona's James E. Rogers College of Law.

Before his role at the University of Arizona, Anaya dedicated over a decade to the faculty at the University of Iowa College of Law, where he made significant contributions to the field of legal education and human rights.

In March two thousand eight, Anaya was appointed by the United Nations as the Special Rapporteur on the situation of the human rights and fundamental freedoms of indigenous people, succeeding Rodolfo Stavenhagen. His work in this capacity has been pivotal in advocating for the rights of indigenous communities worldwide.

In recognition of his contributions to philosophy and human rights, Anaya was elected a Member of the American Philosophical Society in two thousand nineteen, further solidifying his reputation as a leading figure in the intersection of law and human rights.