How difference matters in the development of legal doctrine

本项目系统地跟踪一个主要法律术语的发展。本项目采用多方法研究设计，通过对法庭案件、新闻媒体报道以及对法律和非法律行为者的深入访谈进行定量和定性分析，以确定如何定义法律上的艺术术语；它如何阐明了一个原则，这个原则塑造了后来法律的发展轨迹；以及随着时间的推移，法律行为者和非法律行为者如何成为影响其使用的一部分。这项研究将提供重要的见解，以了解为选定的政策目的而采用的具体法律术语如何随着时间的推移，随着新的法律原则的变化，以及潜在的，由于社会理解的变化，其含义可能会发生变化。该项目将分析来自各种机构环境（联邦法院、联邦法规、州法规）、大众媒体报道（印刷媒体故事和专栏）和政治参与者（利益集团、社会运动和律师）的数据。它包括对487项联邦法院判决及其附带的案件文件的分析，对265项联邦和州法规的法律分析，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.