229 b/w + 49 color illus.

By mapping the remarkable run of the icon of Justice, a woman with scales and sword, and by tracing the development of public spaces dedicated to justice—courthouses—the authors explore the evolution of adjudication into its modern form as well as the intimate relationship between the courts and democracy. The authors analyze how Renaissance “rites” of judgment turned into democratic “rights,” requiring governments to respect judicial independence, provide open and public hearings, and accord access and dignity to “every person.” With over 220 images, readers can see both the longevity of aspirations for justice and the transformation of courts, as well as understand that, while venerable, courts are also vulnerable institutions that should not be taken for granted.

“Resnik and Curtis provide a stunning tour of the iconography and architecture of justice. Bristling with insights and steeped in learning, Representing Justice casts the relationship of democracy, justice and law in an entirely new light. Both gripping narrative and deep meditation, there is no other book remotely like it.” (Nancy Fraser, Henry A. & Louise Loeb Professor of Philosophy and Politics, New School for Social Research)

"How did a blindfolded lady holding scales became the ubiquitous image of justice? How have designs and decorations of spaces defined and redefined adjudication? Assembling monumental research, Resnik and Curtis powerfully show how images and buildings reflect and shape local and international justice across human history and how privatized dispute resolution, security concerns, and diminishing community participation erode the ideal and reality of courts` justice." (Martha Minow, Dean and Jeremiah Smith, Jr. Professor, Harvard Law School)

A szerzőkről:
Judith Resnik and Dennis Curtis are law professors at Yale Law School.