University of Wisconsin–Madison

Tag: Europe

Hilbink (2007), “Politicising Law to Liberalise Politics: Anti-Francoist Judges and Prosecutors in Spain’s Democratic Transition”

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Lisa Hilbink. “Politicising Law to Liberalise Politics: Anti-Francoist Judges and Prosecutors in Spain’s Democratic Transition.” In Fighting for Political Freedom: Comparative Studies of the Legal Complex and Political Liberalism. Edited by Terence C. Halliday, Lucien Karpik, and Malcolm M. Feeley, pp. 403-438, Oxford, U.K: Hart Publishing, 2007. This chapter examines the role of anti-Francoist judges …

Jordan (2005), Defending Rights in Russia: Lawyers, the State and Legal Reform in the Post-Soviet Era

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Pamela A. Jordan, Defending Rights in Russia: Lawyers, the State and Legal Reform in the Post-Soviet Era. Vancouver: UBC Press, 2005. This study examines the transformation of the Russian bar (advokatura) after the collapse of the Soviet Union, focusing on how practicing lawyers and advocates redefined their professional identity and institutional role during democratic transition. …

Türem (2025), “Professional Liquidation in the Context of Autocratic Legalism: Lawyers, Class, and Status in Turkey, 2002–?”

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Umut Z. Türem. “Professional Liquidation in the Context of Autocratic Legalism: Lawyers, Class, and Status in Turkey, 2002–?.” Law & Social Inquiry, First View (2025): 1-32. This article argues that discussions of autocratic legalism must include the legal profession alongside the judiciary, using Turkey as a case study. It shows that in contexts where the …

Haddad and Sundstrom (2023), “Foreign Agents or Agents of Justice? Private Foundations, Backlash Against Non-Governmental Organizations, and International Human Rights Litigation”

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Heidi Nichols Haddad and Lisa McIntosh Sundstrom. “Foreign Agents or Agents of Justice? Private Foundations, Backlash Against Non-Governmental Organizations, and International Human Rights Litigation.” Law & Society Review, vol. 57, no. 1 (2023): 12-35. This article critically examines the claim behind Russia’s 2012 “Foreign Agents” Law that foreign funding drives NGO agendas, focusing on human …

Van der Vet (2018), “‘When They Come for You’: Legal Mobilization in New Authoritarian Russia”

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Freek Van der Vet. “‘When They Come for You’: Legal Mobilization in New Authoritarian Russia.” Law & Society Review, vol.  52, no. 2 (2018): 301-336. This article investigates how Russian lawyers respond to escalating state repression under the country’s “new authoritarian” legal regime, marked by restrictive laws on NGOs, surveillance, and treason. Drawing on interviews, …

Pavone (2022), “The Ghostwriters: Lawyers and the Politics behind the Judicial Construction of Europe”

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Pavone, Tommaso. The Ghostwriters: Lawyers and the Politics behind the Judicial Construction of Europe. Cambridge Studies in Law and Society. Cambridge University Press, November 2022. Paperback. ISBN: 9781009074988. The Ghostwriters challenges the traditional, judge-centered narrative that portrays the European Union as a polity built primarily by judicial activism. Pavone uncovers the political work of practicing …

Piana (2010), “Judicial Accountabilities in New Europe: From Rule of Law to Quality of Justice.”

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Daniela Piana, Judicial Accountabilities in New Europe: From Rule of Law to Quality of Justice (1st ed.). London: Routledge, 2010.  Summary: This volume focuses on a highly challenging aspect of all European democracies, namely the issue of combining guarantees of judicial independence and mechanisms of judicial accountability. It does so by filling the gap in European …

Halmai, Kovács (2025): “All Quiet in the Judiciary: Low Voice of Hungarian Judges and the Role of European Courts.”

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Gábor Halmai, Ágnes Kovács. “All Quiet in the Judiciary: Low Voice of Hungarian Judges and the Role of European Courts.” In Freedom of Expression of Judges: European and National Perspectives. Edited by Federica Casaroca, Mohor Fajdiga, and Madalina Moraru, pp. 79-100. London: Routledge, 2025. Summary: Hungary has received international attention in recent years for being …