How difference matters in the development of legal doctrine

这个项目系统地跟踪一个主要法律的术语随时间的发展。使用多方法的研究设计，该项目借鉴了定量和定性分析的法院案件，新闻媒体报道，并深入采访了法律的和非法律的演员，以确定如何定义一个法律的术语的艺术;它如何阐明了一个原则，塑造了后来的法律的轨迹;以及如何都法律的演员和非法律的演员已经成为塑造其使用随着时间的一部分。这项研究将提供重要的见解如何具体的法律的条款，通过一个选定的政策目的，可能会随着时间的推移，在意义上的变化，以应对新的法律的学说，并可能，由于不断变化的社会理解。该项目将分析来自各种机构设置[联邦法院、联邦法规、州法规]、大众媒体报道[印刷媒体报道和专栏]和政治行为者[利益集团、社会运动和律师]的数据。它包括对487份联邦法院判决和附带案件文件的分析，对265份联邦和州法规的法律的分析，对840篇新闻报道和专栏文章的文本分析，以及对利益相关者的40次采访。

This project systematically tracks the development of a major legal term over time. Using a multi-method research design, this project draws on quantitative and qualitative analyses of court cases, news media reports, and in-depth interviews with legal and non-legal actors to determine how a legal term of art has been defined; how it articulates a principle that has shaped the trajectory of subsequent law; and how both legal actors and non-legal actors have become a part of shaping its use over time. The research will offer important insights into how specific legal terms, adopted for a chosen policy purpose, can possibly shift in meaning over time in response to new legal doctrine and, potentially, due to changing social understanding. The project will analyze data from a variety of institutional settings [federal courts, federal statutes, state statutes], popular media coverage [print media stories and op-eds] and political actors [interest groups, social movements, and lawyers]. It includes analysis of 487 Federal court decisions and accompanying case documents, legal analysis of 265 federal and state statutes, textual analysis of 840 news stories and op-eds, and 40 interviews with stakeholders.