Life of the Law

Tides Center, San Francisco CA

Investigators

Abstract

The gap between scientific research on the law and public consumption of that research is wide. The findings of law and social science research are too often inaccessible to the public, disseminated in exclusive journals and sequestered in academic institutions. This project narrows this gap by transforming long-form scientific research into short-form, accessible, multimedia format for dissemination to a broad and diverse audience. The project will create a uniquely collaborative structure by bringing legal scholars into dialogue with professional journalists in order to identify important findings in social science research, create multi-media products based on that research, and disseminate the products through popular outlets. In so doing, the project will highlight key research questions within law and social sciences, the multiple methods used to answer those questions, the relevance of those answers to governance and social order, the gaps in our legal scientific knowledge, and areas where additional research would prove fruitful. The project's broad impacts include enhancing public understanding of how law operates, improving social science literacy, and promoting citizen engagement.