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Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences
Women’S Representation In The Highest Court: A Comparative Analysis Of The Appointment Of Female Justices, Melody Ellis Valdini, Christopher Shortell
Women’S Representation In The Highest Court: A Comparative Analysis Of The Appointment Of Female Justices, Melody Ellis Valdini, Christopher Shortell
Political Science Faculty Publications and Presentations
The presence of women justices in the highest court varies significantly from country to country. Using an original data set of women’s representation in the highest constitutional courts in 50 democracies, we assess the causes of this variation. We find, contrary to the prevailing view, that the strength of the institution is not significantly related to the number of women on the court. Instead, we find that the existence of a “sheltered” versus “exposed” selection mechanism is the critical determinant of women’s presence. That is, when the selectors are sheltered from electoral accountability, they are less likely to select women …
Urban Politics And The Judiciary: Treating Courts As Endogenous, Christopher Shortell
Urban Politics And The Judiciary: Treating Courts As Endogenous, Christopher Shortell
Political Science Faculty Publications and Presentations
The study of urban politics often focuses on the ability of urban regimes to successfully pursue their interests and goals. However, scholars of urban politics only peripherally consider the role that courts play. And when courts are incorporated, they are treated as exogenous to the political system. This paper argues for the importance of treating the judiciary as endogenous to the local political system. Courts are themselves political institutions and should be understood as such in the study of politics at the local level. Doing so offers several benefits, including accounting for the ways in which state-level preferences operate as …