NSF Award
2222529
A judiciary in which the composition of courts reflects the makeup of the populace is vital on the grounds of fairness, nondiscrimination, justice, and legitimacy. An inclusive judiciary helps to inspire public trust, support, and confidence. Examining the demographic makeup of courts is key to understanding the mechanisms that facilitate a representative judiciary. This research project will collect data on and analyze the demographic variation in judges in eight countries. This study examines the trajectory, experiences, and obstacles of jurists with various demographic characteristics may encounter across countries and world regions. The broader impacts of this project will be to strengthen law and social science research collaborations at minority-serving institutions, and increase research opportunities for communities that are underrepresented in the sciences.<br/><br/>The goals and scope of this research are to examine the factors that contribute to a representative judiciary. The PIs will collect quantitative data on descriptive representation in eight countries. The data on descriptive representation in the judiciary will be made accessible to journalists, students, scholars, and policymakers. Using a mixed methods approach, the PIs will conduct interviews with judges with different demographic characteristics in the same eight countries. The PIs will use the quantitative and qualitative data to determine which aspects of demographic variation may be distinct to a country and those that may be shared across countries. This project will contribute to social science research by providing empirical data and evidence that contribute to our understanding of descriptive representation in judiciaries, the rule of law, and gender equality.<br/><br/>This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
