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Rational anger : An international comparison of legal systems

Bergman Blix, Stina LU orcid and Törnqvist, Nina (2025)
Abstract
Exploring the rationales behind legal anger, its logic and origins, this book builds on the perspectives of judges and prosecutors in Italy, Sweden, the United States, and Scotland. When do judges and prosecutors become angry in court, what do they become angry about, and which other emotions open up for anger? Anger brings people to court and is essential in evaluating wrongdoing and attributing blame, but at the same time, anger is seen as a threat to well-reasoned and just decision-making. Drawing on observations, interviews, and shadowing of legal professionals, the text demonstrates how anger is entangled with legal thought and comes into play in legal practices. By comparing the workings and displays of anger found in different legal... (More)
Exploring the rationales behind legal anger, its logic and origins, this book builds on the perspectives of judges and prosecutors in Italy, Sweden, the United States, and Scotland. When do judges and prosecutors become angry in court, what do they become angry about, and which other emotions open up for anger? Anger brings people to court and is essential in evaluating wrongdoing and attributing blame, but at the same time, anger is seen as a threat to well-reasoned and just decision-making. Drawing on observations, interviews, and shadowing of legal professionals, the text demonstrates how anger is entangled with legal thought and comes into play in legal practices. By comparing the workings and displays of anger found in different legal systems and emotional cultures, the book elucidates assumptions about law, morality, truth, and emotions that we commonly take for granted. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
and
publishing date
type
Book/Report
publication status
published
subject
keywords
anger, courts, rationality, legal professionals, deliberation, ethnography
publisher
Routledge
external identifiers
  • scopus:105000149066
ISBN
9781003330592
9781032361772
9781032361765
DOI
10.4324/9781003330592
language
English
LU publication?
no
id
a6c4e9a5-7826-4e89-adff-9238935d1a63
date added to LUP
2026-01-27 09:32:24
date last changed
2026-01-31 03:54:53
@book{a6c4e9a5-7826-4e89-adff-9238935d1a63,
  abstract     = {{Exploring the rationales behind legal anger, its logic and origins, this book builds on the perspectives of judges and prosecutors in Italy, Sweden, the United States, and Scotland. When do judges and prosecutors become angry in court, what do they become angry about, and which other emotions open up for anger? Anger brings people to court and is essential in evaluating wrongdoing and attributing blame, but at the same time, anger is seen as a threat to well-reasoned and just decision-making. Drawing on observations, interviews, and shadowing of legal professionals, the text demonstrates how anger is entangled with legal thought and comes into play in legal practices. By comparing the workings and displays of anger found in different legal systems and emotional cultures, the book elucidates assumptions about law, morality, truth, and emotions that we commonly take for granted.}},
  author       = {{Bergman Blix, Stina and Törnqvist, Nina}},
  isbn         = {{9781003330592}},
  keywords     = {{anger; courts; rationality; legal professionals; deliberation; ethnography}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  publisher    = {{Routledge}},
  title        = {{Rational anger : An international comparison of legal systems}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.4324/9781003330592}},
  doi          = {{10.4324/9781003330592}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}