Courts in transition
Are John Knudsen
Research Professor, Coordinator HUMIG research group
What roles do - and should - courts play in new and fragile democracies? Why do some judiciaries lamely condone foul play by those in power, while their colleagues in other countries fight to secure that the rules of the democratic game are allowed to operate fairly? Why do some courts function as an arena where the poor and marginalized can fight for their rights, while others contribute to the dominant patters of social exclusion? What are the effects of judicial reforms?