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Research stream on Local Justice Provision
This stream is concerned with one of the most fundamental public goods which an effective and legitimate state is expected to provide: a ‘rule of law’ for all citizens. Led by Prof Richard Crook of the Institute of Development Studies at the University of Sussex, it is asking the following overarching questions:
- To what extent are African states providing, through their judicial institutions, laws and dispute resolution procedures, forms of justice which are effective, accessible, legitimate and trusted by their citizens?
- What explains whether or not such positive outcomes are achieved, and the degree to which they are achieved?
- Which classes of persons benefit most from the operations of state-supported judicial institutions? Do accessibility, legitimacy and trustworthiness vary according to social class, gender, ethnicity, local culture or community?
The research is designed to test whether better performance of judicial institutions is associated with the extent to which they are ‘hybrids’ which combine formality with informal codes and procedures derived from local social institutions and beliefs (the ‘grain’ of local society). The substantive content of those informalities is a matter for empirical investigation; no prior assumptions have been made about the acceptability of so-called ‘customary’ traditions. What is the optimum balance or mix of formality and informality is also a matter for empirical determination.
Research is being carried out in Ghana and Uganda, both countries offering an interesting range of established and innovative institutions of local justice or dispute resolution.
An information sheet providing additional description and contact details for the stream is downloadable here (
English 160KB). A full interim account of the findings emerging from the Ghana component is included in the Research Progress Report, also downloadable from the page.
