African Judiciaries

From the nullification of presidential elections in Kenya and Malawi to rulings on the constitutionality of public protest and presidential initiatives and rights of marginalised groups, African politics is becoming increasingly judicialized. How the courts deal with these cases, whether they act independently and impartially, why different stakeholders bring cases, how they argue them and how they respond to controversial rulings, and whether justice is seen to be done, will help to determine the future of African judiciaries, democracy and stability. Despite their importance, African judiciaries remain relatively understudied. The African Judiciaries Research Network (AJRN) welcomes papers on any aspect of African judiciaries. This includes the history of courts, judicial reforms and current practices; how judges behave both in and out of courts and explanations of their decision making; the ways in which different actors – from governments to lawyers and litigants – engage with, use, and respond to, the courts; the relationship between different legal systems; and public perceptions and understandings.

For inquiries about this stream, please write to the convenor,  Gabrielle Lynch <G.Lynch@warwick.ac.uk>.