A Sociological Perspective on Emotion Work and Judging

21 Pages Posted: 19 Feb 2019

See all articles by Sharyn Roach Anleu

Sharyn Roach Anleu

Flinders University - Department of Sociology

Kathy Mack

Flinders University - School of Law

Date Written: February 8, 2019

Abstract

English abstract: Judicial work requires judicial officers to manage their own emotions and related conduct, as well as to anticipate, interpret, respond to and manage emotions and behaviours of others, most visibly in the interaction order of the courtroom. A detailed, sociological analysis of judicial interview data reveals the ways judicial officers themselves understand, manage and use emotion in their everyday work. Judicial emotion work is more than a purely individual or personal enterprise. It operates in accordance with explicit and implicit feeling and display rules, cultural scripts and legal norms that shape the relation between emotion and judging. The ways judicial officers articulate their understanding of emotion in their everyday work reveals their reproduction and potential transformation of the boundaries between emotion and their status as judge. These findings reposition emotion work as central to judicial performance and enable emotion itself to be recognised as a positive judicial resource.

Spanish abstract: El trabajo judicial exige que los funcionarios judiciales gestionen sus emociones y los comportamientos relacionados, así como que anticipen, interpreten, respondan a y gestionen emociones y comportamientos de otros, sobre todo en la interacción dentro del juzgado. Un análisis sociológico detallado de datos de entrevistas revela cómo los propios funcionarios entienden, gestionan y usan la emoción en su trabajo cotidiano. El trabajo emocional judicial es algo más que un esfuerzo individual o personal; opera en consonancia con normas explícitas e implícitas de sentir y expresarse, normas culturales y normas jurídicas que modelan la relación entre emoción y judicatura. La forma en que los funcionarios articulan su concepto de la emoción en su trabajo cotidiano revela la forma en que reproducen y, potencialmente, transforman los límites entre la emoción y su estatus como jueces. Estos hallazgos reposicionan el trabajo emocional en el centro del trabajo judicial y posibilitan que la emoción sea reconocida como un recurso judicial positivo.

Keywords: emotions, emotion work, courts, judges, judging, Emociones, trabajo emocional, tribunales, jueces, juzgar

Suggested Citation

Roach Anleu, Sharyn and Mack, Kathy, A Sociological Perspective on Emotion Work and Judging (February 8, 2019). Oñati Socio-Legal Series, Forthcoming, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3331025

Sharyn Roach Anleu (Contact Author)

Flinders University - Department of Sociology ( email )

Adelaide, S.A, 5001
Australia
+61 8 8201 2122 (Phone)
+61 8 8201 3521 (Fax)

Kathy Mack

Flinders University - School of Law ( email )

Adelaide S.A. 5001
Australia
+08 8201 3627 (Phone)

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