CMI (Chr. Michelsen Institute) Development Studies and Human Rights
 
 

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CMI Staff

Dr Siri Gloppen

Thematic research group:
Rights, Democracy and Development

Keywords:
Democratisation, constitutionalism, rule of law reform, human rights, governance, institutional change, political theory, participation, poverty, social inclusion.

Geographic keywords:
Sub-Saharan Africa
Africa: South Africa, Malawi, Uganda, Tanzania, Zambia.

Research Director, Rights, Democracy and Development
(50%)

E-mail: siri.gloppen@cmi.no
Phone: +47 47938051 Mob: +47 91820532

CV - Siri Gloppen

On this page: Projects | Publications

Siri Gloppen is Professor of Comparative Politics at the University of Bergen and Research Director for Rights, Democracy and Development at the Chr. Michelsen Institute. She established the CMI’s ”Courts in transition” research program, which in the past decade has investigated the role of courts in political and social transformation, with a particular focus on the global south. Comparative research projects, involving local scholars in the countries as well as international experts, focus on "The accountability function of courts in new democracies"; "The poor and the judiciary" and "Litigating the right to health: can court enforced health rights improve health policy?”. With a research focus in the intersection between law and politics her work spans: legal mobilization and the role of courts in social transformation, democratization and institutionalization of accountability structures, constitution-making, election processes, human rights, transitional justice and reconciliation. Main empirical focus is southern and east Africa.  Her newest (co-written) book is "Courts and Power in Latin America and Africa" (Palgrave Macmillan).

Projects Project search: Siri Gloppen

Current and recently completed projects:

Climate Change Discourse, Rights, and the Poor
Start: Jan. 2010 (Initiation)
Keywords: Climate change, discourse, global challenge, the poor, poverty
Geography: South Africa

The role of courts and civil society in safeguarding women's human rights in Bangladesh
Start: Jul. 2004 (Initiation)
Keywords: Bangladesh, courts, women's rights, gender justice, human rights, law

Litigating the Right to Health
Start: Jan. 2008 (Current)
Keywords: Health rights, courts, health rights litigation, public interest litigation, social rights jurisprudence, health policy, health economics, medical ethics, priority setting
Geography: Costa Rica, Argentina, Brazil, South Africa, Nigeria, Bangladesh, India

Transitional Justice, Violence and Reconciliation
Start: Jun. 2007 (Current)
Keywords: transitional justice, violence, reconciliation, peacebuilding, trials, criminal courts, amnesty, truth commissions, reparations, vetting

Political instiutions in Africa: Zambia, Malawi and Uganda compared
Start: Jan. 2006 (Current)
Keywords: Democratic institutionalisation, the judiciary, the parliament, political parties, electoral administration, elections.
Geography: Zambia, Uganda and Malawi

Courts and the Poor
Start: Jan. 2005 (Current)
Keywords: Poverty, social transformation, social rights, courts, judiciary, legal system, legal culture, access to justice
Geography: Latin America; Argentia, Chile, Brazil, Colombia; Africa; South Africa, Malawi; Asia; India, Pakistan, Lebanon

The 2006 Presidential and Parliamentary Elections in Uganda: Institutional and Legal Context
Start: Oct. 2004 (Current)
Keywords: Democratic accountability, elections, political parties, parliament, courts.
Geography: Uganda

The institutional context of the 2004 general elections in Malawi
Start: Aug. 2003 (Current)
Keywords: Democratisation Parliamentary-executive relations Political culture Electoral administration Political parties Judiciary Elections Electoral systems
Geography: Africa: Malawi.

The Political Role of the South African Courts
Start: Jan. 2003 (Current)
Keywords: constitutional democracy, legal and judicial reforms, democratic consolidation, social transformation, courts, accountability function of courts, access to justice, marginalised groups,
Geography: Africa: South Africa.

Accountability functions of courts
Start: Jul. 2003 (Completed)
Keywords: courts, judiciaries, law, accountability, democracy, democratization, legal system, legal culture
Geography: Colombia, Chile, Argentina, Costa Rica, South Africa, Mozambique, Zambia, Tanzania, Malawi, Uganda

Publications Publication search: Siri Gloppen

Publications by category:

Books and Anthologies

Courts and Power in Latin America and Africa
Gloppen, Siri, Bruce M. Wilson, Roberto Gargarella Elin Skaar, and Morten Kinander (2010)
New York: Palgrave Macmillan 231 p.

Globalization and Democratization: Challenges for Political Parties. Essays in Honor of Lars Svåsand
Gloppen, Siri and Lise Rakner (eds.) (2007)
Bergen: Fagbokforlaget 261 p.

Courts and Social Transformation in New Democracies. An Institutional Voice for the Poor?
Gargarella, Roberto, Pilar Domingo and Theunis Roux, editors (2006)
Aldershot/Burlington: Ashgate 311 p.

Roads to Reconciliation
Skaar, Elin, Siri Gloppen and Astri Suhrke, eds. (2005)
Lanham, Maryland: Lexington Books 318 p.

Democratization and the judiciary. The accountability function of courts in new democracies
Gloppen, Siri, Roberto Gargarella and Elin Skaar (eds.) (2004)
London: Frank Cass 210 p.

Democratization and the Judiciary. The Accountability Function of Courts in New Democracies. Special issue of 'Democratization 'vol.10 (2003) no.4
Gloppen, Siri, Roberto Gargarella and Elin Skaar (2003)
London: Frank Cass 234 p.

South Africa: The Battle over the Constitution
Gloppen, Siri (1997)
Aldershot: Ashgate/Dartmouth 305 p.

Journal Articles and Book Chapters

Legal enforcement of social rights: Enabling conditions and impact assessment
Gloppen, Siri (2009)
in Erasmus Law Review vol. 2 no. 4 pp. 465-480

Litigation as a Strategy to hold Governments Accountable for Implementing the Right to Health
Gloppen, Siri (2008)
in Health and Human Rights vol. 10 no. 2 pp.21-36

Public Interest Litigation, Social Rights, and Social Policy
Gloppen, Siri (2008)
in Anis A. Dani and Arjan de Haan (Eds.): Inclusive States. Social Policy and Structural Inequalities. Wash.D.C.: World Bank pp. 343-367

Elections in Court: The Judiciary and Uganda's 2006 Election Process
Gloppen, Siri, Emmanuel Kazimbazi and Alexander Kibandama (2008)
in Julius Kiiza, Sabiti Makara and Lise Rakner (Eds.): Electoral Democracy in Uganda. Understanding the Institutional Processes and Outcomes of the 2006 Multiparty Elections. Kampala: Fountain Publishers pp. 53-89

Introduction: Coming to Grips with the Current Predicaments of Political Parties
Gloppen, Siri and Lise Rakner (2007)
in Siri Gloppen and Lise Rakner (Eds.) : Globalization and Democratization: Challenges for Political Parties. Essays in Honor of Lars Svåsand . Bergen: Fagbokforlaget pp. 11-18

Symposium: Courts and the Marginalized: Comparative Perspectives
Gloppen, Siri and Rachel Sieder (2007)
in International Journal of Constitutional Law Vol 5 no. 2 April pp. 183-186

The Judiciary
Gloppen, Siri and Fidelis Edge Kanyongolo (2007)
in Nandini Patel and Lars Gerhard Svåsand, eds.: Government and Politics in Malawi. Zomba, Malawi: Centre for Social Research (CSR) and Chr.Michelsen Institute (CMI) pp. 109-135

Courts and the Poor in Malawi: Economic Marginalization
Gloppen, Siri and Fidelis Edge Kanyongolo (2007)
in International Journal of Constitutional Law vol. 5 no. 2 pp. 258-293

The Role of the Judiciary in the 2004 General Elections in Malawi
Gloppen, Siri and Fidelis Edge Kanyongolo (2006)
in East African Journal of Peace and Human Rights vol. 12 no. 2 pp. 279-317

Courts and Social Transformation: An Analytical Framework
Gloppen, Siri (2006)
in Roberto Gargarella, Pilar Domingo and Theunis Roux, editors: Courts and Social Transformation in New Democracies. An Institutional Voice for the Poor?. Aldershot/Burlington: Ashgate pp. 35-59

Malawi
Gloppen, Siri and Edge Kanyongolo (2006)
in Linda Van de Vijver, Ed.: The Judicial Institution in Southern Africa. A Comparative Study of Common Law Jurisdictions. Cape Town: Siber Ink pp. 73-94

South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission as an International Model
Gloppen, Siri (2005)
in Ivar Kolstad and Hugo Stokke, eds.: Writing Rights: Human Rights Research at the Chr.Michelsen Institute 1984-2004. Bergen: Fagbokforlaget pp. 172-188

Sobre el Derecho de Resistencia en Contextos de Privaciones Severas. Como Deberia Reaccionar el Estado?
Gloppen, Siri (2005)
in Roberto Gargarella, ed.: El Derecho a Resistir el Derecho. Buenos Aires: Mino y Davila Editores pp. 99-116

Introduction
Skaar, Elin, Siri Gloppen and Astri Suhrke (2005)
in Elin Skaar, Siri Gloppen and Astri Suhrke, eds.: Roads to Reconciliation. Lanham, Maryland: Lexington Books pp. 3-15

Social Rights Litigation as Transformation: South African Perspectives
Gloppen, Siri (2005)
in Peris Jones and Kristian Stokke, eds.: Democratising Development: the Politics of Socio-economic Rights in South Africa. Amsterdam: Nijhoff pp. 153-180

Roads to Reconciliation: A Conceptual Framework
Gloppen, Siri (2005)
in Elin Skaar, Siri Gloppen and Astri Suhrke, eds.: Roads to Reconciliation. Lanham, Maryland: Lexington Books pp. 17-50

Rettsstat og demokrati
Gloppen, Siri (2004)
in Bjørn Erik Rasch (red) Demokrati: Vilkår og virkninger. Bergen: Fagbokforlaget pp. 51-79

The accountability function of the courts in Tanzania and Zambia
Gloppen, Siri (2004)
in Siri Gloppen, Roberto Gargarella and Elin Skaar (eds.): Democratization and the judiciary. The accountability function of courts in new democracies. London: Frank Cass pp. 112-136

Introduction : The accountability function of the courts in new democracies
Gloppen, Siri, Roberto Gargarella and Elin Skaar (2004)
in Siri Gloppen, Roberto Gargarella and Elin Skaar (eds.): Democratization and the judiciary. The accountability function of courts in new democracies. London: Frank Cass pp. 1-6

The Accountability function of the courts in Tanzania and Zambia
Gloppen, Siri (2003)
in Democratization vol. 10 no. 4 pp. 112-136

Introduction : the accountability function of the courts in new democracies
Gloppen, Siri; Roberto Gargarella and Elin Skaar (2003)
in Democratization vol. 10 no. 4 pp. 1-6

Tax reform and democratic accountability in sub-Saharan Africa
Rakner, Lise and Siri Gloppen (2003)
in Nicolas van de Walle, Nicole Ball and Vijaya Ramachandran: Beyond structural adjustment: the institutional context of African development . New York, N.Y.: Palgrave MacMillan pp. 77-100

Kampen for sosiale rettigheter: Er rettssalen riktig arena?
Gloppen, Siri (2003)
in Mennesker og rettigheter vol. 21 no. 1 pp. 61-75

Review essay: Reparatory justice - a road to reconciliation? On the role of reparations in transitional justice theory
Gloppen, Siri (2003)
in George Ulrich and Louise Krabbe Boserup (eds.): Human Rights in Development Yearbook 2001. The Hague: Kluwer Law International pp. 385-401

Accountability through tax reform? Reflections from Sub-Saharan Africa
Gloppen, Siri and Lise Rakner (2002)
in IDS Bulletin vol. 33 no. 3 pp. 30-40

Reports

A Rights-based approach to (Norwegian) development assistance. A discussion paper commissioned by the Royal Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Bleie, Tone, Siri Gloppen, Alf Morten Jerve, Hugo Stokke and Bertil tungodden (2002)
Bergen: Chr. Michelsen Institute 24 p.

Reconciliation and democratisation: Outlining the research field
Gloppen, Siri (2001)
Bergen: Chr. Michelsen Institute

CMI Reports

The Institutional Context of the 2004 General Elections in Malawi
Gloppen, Siri, Edge Kanyongolo, Nixon Khembo, Nandini Patel, Lise Rakner, Lars Svåsand, Arne Tostensen and Mette Bakken (2006)
Bergen: Chr. Michelsen Institute (CMI Report R 2006: 21) 38 p.

Uganda's 2006 Presidential and Parliamentary Elections
Gloppen, Siri, C. Atoo, E. Kasimbazi, A. Kibandama, J. Kiiza, S. Makara, G. Okiror, L. Rakner, S. Rwengabo, L. Svåsand, R. Tabaro, A. Tostensen (2006)
Bergen: Chr. Michelsen Institute (CMI Report R 2006: 10) 29 p.

Aid to judicial reform: Norwegian and international experiences
Skaar, Elin, Ingrid Samset and Siri Gloppen (2004)
Bergen: Chr. Michelsen Institute (CMI Report R 2004: 12) 104 p.

Reconciliation and democratisation: Outlining the research field
Gloppen, Siri (2002)
Bergen: Chr. Michelsen Institute (CMI Report R 2002:5) 52 p.

Human rights and development. The discourse in the humanities and social sciences
Gloppen, Siri and Lise Rakner (1993)
Bergen: Chr. Michelsen Institute (CMI Report R 1993:3) 103 p.

Menneskerettigheter og utviklingsprosesser
Gloppen, Siri and Lise Rakner (1991)
Bergen: Chr. Michelsen Institute (CMI Report R 1991:2) 97 p.

CMI Working Papers

Social Rights Litigation as Transformation: South African Perspectives
Gloppen, Siri (2005)
Bergen: Chr. Michelsen Institute (CMI Working Paper WP 2005: 3) 17 p.

The role of the judiciary in the 2004 general elections in Malawi
Gloppen, Siri, Edge Kanyongolo (2004)
Bergen: Chr. Michelsen Institute (CMI Working Paper WP 2004: 16) 32 p.

How to assess the political role of the Zambian courts?
Gloppen, Siri (2004)
Bergen: Chr. Michelsen Institute (CMI Working Paper WP 2004: 17)

Responsiveness to the concerns of the poor and accountability to the commitments to poverty reduction
Gloppen, Siri, Lise Rakner and Arne Tostensen (2003)
Bergen: Chr. Michelsen Institute (CMI Working Paper WP 2003:9) 25 p.

Other External Publications

Sør-Afrikas sannhetskommisjon: et internasjonalt ideal?
Gloppen, Siri (2009)
in FN-magasinet vol. 3 no. 1 pp. 8-10

Book review: Promoting the Rule of Law Abroad: In Search of Knowledge, edited by Thomas Carothers
Gloppen, Siri (2007)
in Democratization vol. 14 no. 1 pp. 169-170

Jon Elster: Oppgjøret med fortiden. Internasjonalt perspektiv på overgangen til demokrati
Gloppen, Siri (2004)
in Historisk Tidsskrift vol. 83 no. 4 pp. 667-672

How To Assess the Political Role of the Courts
Gloppen, Siri (2003)
in

Conference Papers

Law and Poverty in Malawi: Towards Progressive Linkages
Gloppen, Siri with Fidelis Kanyongolo (2005)
Presented at: Workshop on "Courts and Marginalised Groups", Diego Portales University, Santiago de Chile, 1-2 December, 2005.

The Accountability Function of the Ugandan Courts: Framework for Inquiry
Gloppen, Siri with Emmanuel Kasimbazi (2005)
Presented at: Workshop on "The Institutional and Legal Context of the 2006 Presidential and Parliamentary Elections in Uganda", Kampala 4-5 February 2005

Public Interest Litigation, Social Rights and Public Policy
Gloppen, Siri (2005)
Presented at: the World Bank Conference on "New Frontiers of Social Policy", Arusha 12-15 December 2005.

Popular Presentations and Lectures

Litigating the Right to Health
Gloppen, Siri (2008)
Human Rights Programme Harvard Law School November 2008

Public Interest Litigation, Social Rights and Public Policy
Gloppen, Siri (2005)
Harvard Law School Human Rights Programme, Boston, 6. November 2005

Rights, Democracy and Development
News

Media constraints in Sub-Saharan Africa

Democratic elections depend on a free press. "Free and fair" elections require free access to information. The last two decades of elections show that political constraints and restricted access to information prevents an independent media in Sub-Sharan Africa. Read more

Just Faaland receives award for Outstanding Contribution to the People of Malaysia

Former director of CMI, Just Faaland, has received the Merdeka award. Faaland is awarded for his role in the formulation of the National Economic Policy (NEP). Read more

The Strange Alchemy of Life and Law

Detained in solitary confinement, tortured, exiled and eventually blown up by a car bomb. From an early age Albie Sachs played a prominent part in the struggle for justice in South Africa. Later in life he helped draft South Africa's post-apartheid Constitution, and served as a member of the Constitutional Court for fifteen years. Sachs talks to host Siri Gloppen about his life and role as a judge in the formative years of post-apartheid South Africa. Read more

Zimbabwe's Multilayered Crisis

Once a vibrant and dynamic society, Zimbabwe has since the turn of the millennium gone through a complex multilayered and pervasive series of catastrophes. Political instability, lawlessness, misgovernment and a relentless economic meltdown has transformed this leading southern African nation into an international pariah. Read more

What's law got to do with it?

Legal norms and institutions impact on how people are able to live their lives in many different and often unintended and unexpected ways. Read more

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