About the Episode:
In this episode of Global Stage, political scientist Sandra Botero (Universidad del Rosario) discusses her 2023 book, Courts that Matter: Activists, Judges, and the Politics of Rights Enforcement (Cambridge University Press). A former Kellogg Institute PhD Fellow and current Visiting Fellow, Botero describes how her background in legal studies and connections to the Kellogg Institute have influenced her research on judicial politics and collaborative oversight arenas. She also argues for the value of interdisciplinary research methods for tackling complex questions around judicial politics, polarization, and now in her current research on internet regulations and digital rights.
 
En este episodio de Global Stage, la politóloga Sandra Botero (Universidad del Rosario) presenta su libro del 2023, Courts that Matter: Activists, Judges, and the Politics of Rights Enforcement (Cambridge University Press). Botero describe como su formación en estudios legales y las conexiones con el Instituto Kellogg han influenciado su investigación sobre la política judicial y los espacios de monitoreo colaborativo. Además expresa su apoyo por los métodos de investigación interdisciplinario para entender las complejidades de la política judicial, la polarización y la reglamentación del internet y los derechos digitales.
 
Show Notes:

Welcome to Global Stage, a podcast highlighting academic and policy-oriented international research on democracy and human development. Today, host Patrick McQuestion, a Kellogg doctoral affiliate studying peace and political science, is joined by guest Sandra Botero, an associate professor at Universidad del Rosario in Bogotá, Colombia, who specializes in political science with a focus on courts, human rights, and electoral dynamics, particularly in Latin America. A former Kellogg PhD fellow and now a Kellogg visiting fellow, Botero will discuss her recent book, Courts That Matter: Activists, Judges, and the Politics of Rights Enforcement (Cambridge University Press, 2023).

To begin, she reflects on her academic journey and the transformative role the Kellogg Institute played in shaping her research and professional growth. Kellogg enabled her to develop the ideas and methodologies that culminated in her book – she emphasizes that it would not exist without the Institute's influence. She also highlights the Institute's potential to address contemporary challenges to democracy worldwide and its unique position within the newly established Keough School of Global Affairs.

 Botero's book is an interdisciplinary study of how courts impact domestic politics, particularly in addressing complex issues like environmental regulation, prisoners’ rights, and social welfare policies. In it, she develops a theoretical framework centered on the interaction between courts, civil society, and policy implementation. Botero identifies two critical factors for impactful court rulings: court-promoted oversight and dense networks of civil society activism. Drawing on cases from Colombia, Argentina, and India, she demonstrates how courts engage with civil society to enforce rulings, addressing issues such as health system reform in Colombia and environmental restoration in Argentina. Collaborative oversight arenas are spaces created by courts to monitor the enforcement of their rulings. While earlier literature focuses solely on courts or litigants, her book highlights the collective political effort required for judicial rulings to effect meaningful change. While some critics perceive judicial activism as an overreach, Botero highlights how courts in the Global South, by engaging with civil society and other actors, create opportunities to contest power dynamics and co-develop solutions. Finally, Botero highlights differences between the US Supreme Court and courts in South America, where there are often more opportunities for public and institutional input.

 

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