Reimagining the Judiciary
Women's Representation on High Courts Worldwide
Published on 12. October 2021
Book
Hardback
216 pages
978-0-19-886157-7 (ISBN)
Description
This book examines the factors that facilitate the inclusion of women on high courts, while recognizing that many courts have a long way to go before reaching gender parity. Why did women start appearing on high courts when they did? Where have women made the most significant strides?
To address these questions, the authors built the first cross-national and longitudinal dataset on the appointment of women and men to high courts. In addition, they provide five in-depth country case studies us to unpack the selection of justices to high courts in Canada, Colombia, Ireland, South Africa, and the United States. The cross-national lens and combination of quantitative analyses and detailed country studies examines multiple influences across region and time. Focusing on three sets of explanations --pipelines to high courts, domestic institutions, and international influences- analyses reveal that women are more likely to first appear on their country's high court when traditional ideas about who can and should be a judge erode. In some countries, international treaties, regional emulation, and women's international NGOs play a role in disseminating and linking global norms of gender equality in decision-making. Importantly, while informal institutions and reliance on men-dominated networks can limit access, women are making substantial strides in their countries' highest courts where the supply grows, and often where selectors have incentives to select women. Further, sustained pressure from advocacy organizations-at the local, national, and global levels-contributes to some gains.
Comparative Politics is a series for researchers, teachers, and students of political science that deals with contemporary government and politics. Global in scope, books in the series are characterized by a stress on comparative analysis and strong methodological rigour. The series is published in association with the European Consortium for Political Research. For more information visit
www.ecprnet.eu
The series is edited by Susan Scarrow, John and Rebecca Moores Professor of Political Science at the University of Houston, and Jonathan Slapin, Professor of Political Institutions and European Politics, Department of Political Science, University of Zurich.
To address these questions, the authors built the first cross-national and longitudinal dataset on the appointment of women and men to high courts. In addition, they provide five in-depth country case studies us to unpack the selection of justices to high courts in Canada, Colombia, Ireland, South Africa, and the United States. The cross-national lens and combination of quantitative analyses and detailed country studies examines multiple influences across region and time. Focusing on three sets of explanations --pipelines to high courts, domestic institutions, and international influences- analyses reveal that women are more likely to first appear on their country's high court when traditional ideas about who can and should be a judge erode. In some countries, international treaties, regional emulation, and women's international NGOs play a role in disseminating and linking global norms of gender equality in decision-making. Importantly, while informal institutions and reliance on men-dominated networks can limit access, women are making substantial strides in their countries' highest courts where the supply grows, and often where selectors have incentives to select women. Further, sustained pressure from advocacy organizations-at the local, national, and global levels-contributes to some gains.
Comparative Politics is a series for researchers, teachers, and students of political science that deals with contemporary government and politics. Global in scope, books in the series are characterized by a stress on comparative analysis and strong methodological rigour. The series is published in association with the European Consortium for Political Research. For more information visit
www.ecprnet.eu
The series is edited by Susan Scarrow, John and Rebecca Moores Professor of Political Science at the University of Houston, and Jonathan Slapin, Professor of Political Institutions and European Politics, Department of Political Science, University of Zurich.
Reviews / Votes
Overall, the authors clearly outline general trends and summarize stand-out examples (both countries/courts that were quick to diversify and those that have still not diversified), and the authors accomplish all of this in a clear, accessible writing style. * Nancy Arrington, California Polytechnic State University, USA, Politics and Gender * This book and the data reported offer an invaluable resource * Sharyn Roach Anleu, Journal of Law *More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
Oxford
United Kingdom
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Product notice
sewn/stitched
Cloth over boards
Dimensions
Height: 231 mm
Width: 157 mm
Thickness: 20 mm
Weight
499 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-19-886157-7 (9780198861577)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Maria C. Escobar-Lemmon | Valerie J. Hoekstra | Alice J. Kang
Reimagining the Judiciary
Women's Representation on High Courts Worldwide
E-Book
01/2022
1st Edition
OUP eBook
€54.49
Available for download
Maria C. Escobar-Lemmon | Valerie J. Hoekstra | Alice J. Kang
Reimagining the Judiciary
Women's Representation on High Courts Worldwide
E-Book
01/2022
1st Edition
OUP eBook
€54.49
Available for download
Persons
Maria C. Escobar-Lemmon is Professor of Political Science and Associate Dean of Liberal Arts at Texas A&M University. Her research has focused on women's inclusion in government institutions in Latin America including the judiciary, presidential cabinets, the bureaucracy, and local government. She is the co-author of Women in Presidential Cabinets: Power Players or Abundant Tokens and the co-editor of Representation: The Case of Women. Her research has appeared in journals such as the American Journal of Political Science, Electoral Studies, the Journal of Politics, Latin American Politics & Society, Policy Studies Journal, Politics & Gender, and Publius: The Journal of Federalism.
Valerie J. Hoekstra Is Associate Professor of Political Science in the School of Politics and Global Studies at Arizona State University. Her research has focused mostly on Judicial Politics in the United States. Specifically, she has studied public opinion and the Supreme Court, public opinion towards judicial nominees, state court and state legislative responses to Supreme Court decisions, changes in the selection and retention of state court judges, and judicial decision making on the Supreme Court. Her work has appeared in journals such as the American Political Science Review, the Journal of Politics, Political Research Quarterly, State Politics and Policy Quarterly, American Politics Quarterly, Justice System Journal, and Politics and Gender.
Alice J. Kang is Associate Professor in the Department of Political Science and Institute for Ethnic Studies at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Kang conducts research on women in politics and women's movements. She is author of Bargaining for Women's Rights: Activism in an Aspiring Muslim Democracy. Her work has been published and is forthcoming in journals such as African Affairs, Comparative Political Studies, Democratization, Journal of Politics, Perspectives on Politics, Politics and Gender, and Politics, Groups, and Identities.
Miki Caul Kittilson is Professor in the School of Politics and Global Studies at Arizona State University. Her research focuses on challenges to democratic inclusion across a variety of countries. She has previously published articles and books on women, gender and politics, political parties, courts, and political participation. She is the co-author of Seeing Women, Strengthening Democracy: How Women in Politics Foster Connected Citizens (with Magda Hinojosa) Her research has also appeared in journals such as the American Journal of Political Science, the Journal of Politics, International Organization, Comparative Political Studies, Politics, Groups and Identities, Perspectives on Politics, Party Politics, Political Behavior, and Politics and Gender.
Valerie J. Hoekstra Is Associate Professor of Political Science in the School of Politics and Global Studies at Arizona State University. Her research has focused mostly on Judicial Politics in the United States. Specifically, she has studied public opinion and the Supreme Court, public opinion towards judicial nominees, state court and state legislative responses to Supreme Court decisions, changes in the selection and retention of state court judges, and judicial decision making on the Supreme Court. Her work has appeared in journals such as the American Political Science Review, the Journal of Politics, Political Research Quarterly, State Politics and Policy Quarterly, American Politics Quarterly, Justice System Journal, and Politics and Gender.
Alice J. Kang is Associate Professor in the Department of Political Science and Institute for Ethnic Studies at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Kang conducts research on women in politics and women's movements. She is author of Bargaining for Women's Rights: Activism in an Aspiring Muslim Democracy. Her work has been published and is forthcoming in journals such as African Affairs, Comparative Political Studies, Democratization, Journal of Politics, Perspectives on Politics, Politics and Gender, and Politics, Groups, and Identities.
Miki Caul Kittilson is Professor in the School of Politics and Global Studies at Arizona State University. Her research focuses on challenges to democratic inclusion across a variety of countries. She has previously published articles and books on women, gender and politics, political parties, courts, and political participation. She is the co-author of Seeing Women, Strengthening Democracy: How Women in Politics Foster Connected Citizens (with Magda Hinojosa) Her research has also appeared in journals such as the American Journal of Political Science, the Journal of Politics, International Organization, Comparative Political Studies, Politics, Groups and Identities, Perspectives on Politics, Party Politics, Political Behavior, and Politics and Gender.
Author
Associate Dean and Professor of Political ScienceAssociate Dean and Professor of Political Science, Texas A&M University
Professor of Political ScienceProfessor of Political Science, Arizona State University
Associate Professor in the Department of Political Science and Institute for Ethnic StudiesAssociate Professor in the Department of Political Science and Institute for Ethnic Studies, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Professor in the School of Politics and Global StudiesProfessor in the School of Politics and Global Studies, Arizona State University
Content
1: Women's Representation on High Courts
Part I: A Global and Longitudinal Perspective
2: Breaking New Ground: The First Women on High Courts
3: Where Have Women Made the Most Strides?
Part II: Pathways and Processes to High Courts
4: Pipelines to High Courts
5: How Institutions Influence the Appointment of Women to High Courts
6: International Influences on Women's Representation on High Courts
Part III: Conclusion
7: Conclusion: Reimagining High Courts
Appendix 1: Data Coverage
Appendix 2: Descriptive Statistics
Part I: A Global and Longitudinal Perspective
2: Breaking New Ground: The First Women on High Courts
3: Where Have Women Made the Most Strides?
Part II: Pathways and Processes to High Courts
4: Pipelines to High Courts
5: How Institutions Influence the Appointment of Women to High Courts
6: International Influences on Women's Representation on High Courts
Part III: Conclusion
7: Conclusion: Reimagining High Courts
Appendix 1: Data Coverage
Appendix 2: Descriptive Statistics