Collaborative Research: Policy Diffusion: International Influences on Appointments to High Courts

尽管在接受法律教育和担任传统上作为高等法院跳板的职位方面，人口结构发生了迅速的变化，但世界各地高等法院法官的人口结构特征并没有随之改变。美国、经济合作与发展组织（OECD）、联合国（UN）和世界银行（World Bank）等机构为司法改革投入了大量资源。然而，全球数据和对为什么一些高等法院在描述上比其他高等法院更能代表公民的清晰理解是无法获得的。这个项目构建了一个关于男性和女性的新数据集。从1970年到2010年，美国任命了168个国家的最高法院法官。使用数据集，pi将解释在某些国家特定时间点被任命为高等法院法官的人口特征的变化和稳定。在国际规范扩散理论的基础上，指数将检验各国是向邻国学习，还是对国际捐助者的偏好做出反应。此外，全球规范可能会与一个国家互动？当公民社会可以提名法官、当法院规模更大、当国家是民主的时候，变革更有可能发生。此外，ppi将采访四个国家的法官和政府官员，以阐明外部和内部压力如何影响高等法院的任命。人口结构的变化可能导致政策的变化，也可能有助于对管理机构的公正性的看法以及公众对高等法院的信任，从而使这个问题具有重大的社会意义。了解被任命者的人口特征可能发生变化的条件可以帮助决策者，并为评估援助项目的有效性提供证据。除了与学术界分享研究结果外，pi还将向学者和政策制定者公开提供数据。

Despite rapid demographic change concerning who is obtaining legal education and occupying positions that traditionally serve as springboards to high courts, the demographic characteristics ofjustices on high courts around the world are not changing concomitantly. The United States, Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), United Nations (UN), and World Bank among others have poured significant resources into judicial reform. However, global data and a clear understanding of why some high courts have become more descriptively representative of citizenry than others are not available. This project constructs a new dataset on men and women?s appointments to high courts in 168 countries from 1970 to 2010. Using the dataset, the PIs will explain change and stability in demographic characteristics of those appointed to high courts in some countries at particular points in time. Building on theories of international norm diffusion, the PIs will test whether countries learn from their neighbors or if countries respond to the preferences of international donors. Further, global norms may interact with a country?s political system, making change more likely when civil society can nominate judges, when courts are larger, and when the country is democratic. In addition, the PIs will interview judges and government officials in four countries to shed light on how external and internal pressures influence high court appointments. Demographic change might lead to changes in policies and might also contribute to perceptions of the fairness of governing institutions as well as public confidence in high courts, making the issue one of substantial social significance. Understanding the conditions under which the demographic characteristics of appointees might change could assist policymakers and would provide evidence to evaluate the effectiveness of aid programs. In addition to sharing findings with the scholarly community, the PIs will make the data publicly available for scholars and policymakers.