In a time of fractured trust, how we create authority-- the power to influence and command trust, or at least deference -- is a timely and important question. This panel offers fresh perspectives on how we create authoritativeness in different contexts, drawing on anthropological insights and empirical methods. A book project explores how Anglo-American legal adjudication uses ritual and rites associated with magic in non-Western cultures. Another project explores the use of religious and quasi-religious secular language in the law and the ceremonial aspects of how we convey real property. Additionally, another work is about the relationship between secular governance in India and managing Hindu religious institutions. Another scholar explores aspects of the sacred and the construction of law’s sovereignty. A book project explores attempts to discredit politically inconvenient scientific authority. An empirical study explores the construction of the U.S. law professoriate with a focus on race and gender dynamics.
Business meeting at program conclusion.