Local Institutions and the Rule of Law

Can local institutions help maintain the rule of law? Building on the literatures on political decentralization, responsiveness, representation and constituency service, I argue that local institutions maintain the rule of law by increasing accountability, improving citizens’ trust in institutions and overcoming the shortcomings of customary legal authorities. To test this theory, I turn to countries across the Global South and leverage research design that applies experimental and quasi-experimental methods to enable causal inference, and examine mechanisms through original interviews and surveys. These works will contribute to my book project on “Local Democracies and the Rule of Law”, which would highlight the key role played by local politicians, deepening our understanding of how democratic institutions can help maintain the rule of law and promote human development.