Luca Verzelloni is an Associate Professor of Sociology of Organization at the Department of Sociology and Social Research of the University of Milano-Bicocca. After obtaining his PhD in Sociology and Social Research at the University of Trento in 2009, he has held research and teaching positions at the following national and foreign institutions: University of Bologna, Italian National Research Council, University of Coimbra and ENS Paris-Saclay. Currently, he is a Collaborator Researcher at the Centre for Social Studies (CES) of the University of Coimbra, Co-Chair of the subgroup on judiciary of the International Working Group on the Legal Professions (RCSL-ISA) and Scientific Coordinator of the Interdepartmental Observatory on Digital Transformation and Organization of Justice of the University of Milano-Bicocca (DIGITO-Justice). Address: Department of Sociology and Social Research, University of Milano-Bicocca Via Bicocca degli Arcimboldi, 8, 20126 Milan, Italy
Innovation: The European Journal of Social Science Research, 2022
Italy, as other European countries, saw a dramatic increase in international protection claims, h... more Italy, as other European countries, saw a dramatic increase in international protection claims, heavily impacting the workload of Italian lower courts entitled to re-examine refusal decisions on asylum. The Court of Catania, in Sicily, was the most affected by this situation due to its geographical position, so that in 2016 it registered an increase of 514% in its new proceedings related to international protection. This surge in asylum claims affected the proper functioning of the judiciary and the whole asylum policy, as claims remained unsolved for a long time. In order to face these challenges, from 2015 to 2017 the project Migrantes, funded by the European Social Fund, was developed in the Court of Catania with the aim to better organise and speed up judicial procedures concerning asylum claims, the first and crucial stage of the refugee’s integration process. The present article offers an analysis of the project through the lens of the Social Innovation framework, adopting a multi-scalar perspective. In particular, it shows the innovative solutions adopted by the local court, the opportunity structures existing at local, regional, national and EU levels. Moreover, it focuses on the consolidation process that followed up-scaling dynamics and on the factors facilitating it.
Uma corte de justiça muitas vezes mostra-se aos olhos de quem não faz parte do mundo jurídico com... more Uma corte de justiça muitas vezes mostra-se aos olhos de quem não faz parte do mundo jurídico como algo misterioso e desconhecido (Barshack 2000; Latour 2002). Os tribunais configuram-se frequentemente como “caixas pretas” impenetráveis, “instituições opacas” de funcionamento indecifrável (Meyer and Rowan 1977; Zan 2003). Estes peculiares “templos do direito” (Barshack 2000), fundando a própria atividade em procedimentos e linguagens extremamente especializados, diferentemente de outros âmbitos de trabalho, são frequentemente percebidos como contextos fechados, distantes da sociedade na qual atuam. Ao final do estudo das lógicas que caracterizam o funcionamento da “fabrique du droit” (Latour 2002), deve-se necessariamente superar a “fachada institucional” dos tribunais, ou seja, o complexo de normas e procedimentos que disciplinam formalmente as suas atividades, para se analisar em detalhe o “fazer” dos atores. Esta convicção se resume na imagem de “ir para trás da cátedra do juiz” ...
BOOK 979 paper addresses research ethics challenges researchers face when dealing with data sourc... more BOOK 979 paper addresses research ethics challenges researchers face when dealing with data sources and tools easily accessible and available online. The analysis will consider the legal framework and case law at the EU and Greek level with special reference to the General Data Protection Regulation (679/2016). Special attention will be given to practical guidance in identifying and complying with personal data regulation. The above will be considered in light of the principle of freedom of research, the need to protect for research integrity. This research is part of the HORIZON2020 funded program DEFORM: Determine the global and financial impact of research misconduct. Project ID: 710246 Equal Litigants, Unequal Litigations? Access to Justice after Austerity in the Southern European Democracies Luca Verzelloni, Daniela Piana CES Coimbra, Portugal; University of Bologna, Italy luca.verzelloni(at)unibo.it, d.piana(at)unibo.it The link between the two sides of the coins, rule of law ...
EnglishThis article proposes a comparative analysis on the functioning and management of the Euro... more EnglishThis article proposes a comparative analysis on the functioning and management of the European judicial systems. The paper aims to create a "moving photograph", which considers the transformations taking place in the judicial apparatuses. The article uses the indicators defined by the European Network of Councils for the Judiciary to assess the judicial systems, in terms of degree of independence and accountability of both the judiciary as a whole and the individual judge. The analysed countries (Italy, France, Hungary, Sweden and Netherlands) present specific features and are representative of the different geographical areas of Europe. italianoQuesto articolo propone un'analisi comparativa sul funzionamento e la gestione dei sistemi giudiziari europei. Il testo ambisce a realizzare una "fotografia in movimento", che tenga conto delle trasformazioni in atto negli apparati di giustizia. L'articolo utilizza gli indicatori definiti dalla Rete europe...
La storia delle istituzioni costituzionali prima e repubblicane poi che hanno segnato il lungo pr... more La storia delle istituzioni costituzionali prima e repubblicane poi che hanno segnato il lungo processo di trasformazione del nostro paese si qualifica, in una chiave di lettura comparata, per tre tratti distintivi (2) . Il primo riguarda la natura elitaria, ovvero non inclusiva, del processo di unificazione, che ha lasciato aperte faglie di consenso mai completamente compensate o bilanciate da capacità amministrative elevate, sia da parte del centro politico, sia da parte dell’élite che in quel centro ha svolto funzioni a diversi livelli di responsabilità decisionale. Il secondo tratto riguarda la persistente rilevanza delle identità locali, tratto forse non disgiunto dal precedente ancorché non linearmente determinato da quello. Queste identità sono soprattutto espresse nelle istituzioni di governo dei territori. Se infatti l’adozione di un modello francese, improntato sull’unità amministrativa provinciale, ha dato al governo locale un elemento di raccordo con il centro – e altro ...
This article proposes a comparative analysis on the functioning and management of the European ju... more This article proposes a comparative analysis on the functioning and management of the European judicial systems. The paper aims to create a "moving photograph", which considers the transformations taking place in the judicial apparatuses. The article uses the indicators defined by the European Network of Councils for the Judiciary to assess the judicial systems, in terms of degree of independence and accountability of both the judiciary as a whole and the individual judge. The analysed countries (Italy, France, Hungary, Sweden and Netherlands) present specific features and are representative of the different geographical areas of Europe.
Several studies have demonstrated that there is a correlation between the number of Italian lawye... more Several studies have demonstrated that there is a correlation between the number of Italian lawyers and the litigation rate in the field of civil law. Yet, there are no empirical studies about the functioning of law firms and the connection between the latter and courts of justice. This experimental article intends to "follow the actors", that is, to metaphorical go inside the Italian law offices to analyse their specific logics of action. This research's main hypothesis is that the "business idea" that steers every law firm - which is, the specific combination of market, product and structure - can influence the activities of the judicial offices. As a matter of fact, courts and law firms are interdependent as far as some organizational features are concerned, and these features must be analysed to understand and tackle the problems that afflict the judicial systems and influence their ability to "do justice" for citizens. This article's reflections are based on a 3-year empirical research, carried out in three Italian law firms dealing with labour and employment.
in Sciacca M., Verzelloni L., Miccoli G. (a cura), Giustizia in bilico. I percorsi di innovazione giudiziaria: attori, risorse, governance, Aracne (Rome), 2013
Where are the legal professions heading? What are they trying to do to overcome the difficulties ... more Where are the legal professions heading? What are they trying to do to overcome the difficulties of the judicial systems and, at the same time, to reaffirm their role in society and improve the citizens’ confidence in the legal system? This article will focus on the Italian case presenting the phenomenon of the “Observatories of civil justice”: inter-professional groups that have spontaneously developed in various Italian judicial offices, in order to define some shared interpretative and behavioural practices. The article bases its arguments on the results of a long period of empirical research, conducted with qualitative methods. This case, one of a kind, will give grounds to analyse many of the issues currently under discussion in the broad debate of the emergent socio-legal studies.
Innovation: The European Journal of Social Science Research, 2022
Italy, as other European countries, saw a dramatic increase in international protection claims, h... more Italy, as other European countries, saw a dramatic increase in international protection claims, heavily impacting the workload of Italian lower courts entitled to re-examine refusal decisions on asylum. The Court of Catania, in Sicily, was the most affected by this situation due to its geographical position, so that in 2016 it registered an increase of 514% in its new proceedings related to international protection. This surge in asylum claims affected the proper functioning of the judiciary and the whole asylum policy, as claims remained unsolved for a long time. In order to face these challenges, from 2015 to 2017 the project Migrantes, funded by the European Social Fund, was developed in the Court of Catania with the aim to better organise and speed up judicial procedures concerning asylum claims, the first and crucial stage of the refugee’s integration process. The present article offers an analysis of the project through the lens of the Social Innovation framework, adopting a multi-scalar perspective. In particular, it shows the innovative solutions adopted by the local court, the opportunity structures existing at local, regional, national and EU levels. Moreover, it focuses on the consolidation process that followed up-scaling dynamics and on the factors facilitating it.
Uma corte de justiça muitas vezes mostra-se aos olhos de quem não faz parte do mundo jurídico com... more Uma corte de justiça muitas vezes mostra-se aos olhos de quem não faz parte do mundo jurídico como algo misterioso e desconhecido (Barshack 2000; Latour 2002). Os tribunais configuram-se frequentemente como “caixas pretas” impenetráveis, “instituições opacas” de funcionamento indecifrável (Meyer and Rowan 1977; Zan 2003). Estes peculiares “templos do direito” (Barshack 2000), fundando a própria atividade em procedimentos e linguagens extremamente especializados, diferentemente de outros âmbitos de trabalho, são frequentemente percebidos como contextos fechados, distantes da sociedade na qual atuam. Ao final do estudo das lógicas que caracterizam o funcionamento da “fabrique du droit” (Latour 2002), deve-se necessariamente superar a “fachada institucional” dos tribunais, ou seja, o complexo de normas e procedimentos que disciplinam formalmente as suas atividades, para se analisar em detalhe o “fazer” dos atores. Esta convicção se resume na imagem de “ir para trás da cátedra do juiz” ...
BOOK 979 paper addresses research ethics challenges researchers face when dealing with data sourc... more BOOK 979 paper addresses research ethics challenges researchers face when dealing with data sources and tools easily accessible and available online. The analysis will consider the legal framework and case law at the EU and Greek level with special reference to the General Data Protection Regulation (679/2016). Special attention will be given to practical guidance in identifying and complying with personal data regulation. The above will be considered in light of the principle of freedom of research, the need to protect for research integrity. This research is part of the HORIZON2020 funded program DEFORM: Determine the global and financial impact of research misconduct. Project ID: 710246 Equal Litigants, Unequal Litigations? Access to Justice after Austerity in the Southern European Democracies Luca Verzelloni, Daniela Piana CES Coimbra, Portugal; University of Bologna, Italy luca.verzelloni(at)unibo.it, d.piana(at)unibo.it The link between the two sides of the coins, rule of law ...
EnglishThis article proposes a comparative analysis on the functioning and management of the Euro... more EnglishThis article proposes a comparative analysis on the functioning and management of the European judicial systems. The paper aims to create a "moving photograph", which considers the transformations taking place in the judicial apparatuses. The article uses the indicators defined by the European Network of Councils for the Judiciary to assess the judicial systems, in terms of degree of independence and accountability of both the judiciary as a whole and the individual judge. The analysed countries (Italy, France, Hungary, Sweden and Netherlands) present specific features and are representative of the different geographical areas of Europe. italianoQuesto articolo propone un'analisi comparativa sul funzionamento e la gestione dei sistemi giudiziari europei. Il testo ambisce a realizzare una "fotografia in movimento", che tenga conto delle trasformazioni in atto negli apparati di giustizia. L'articolo utilizza gli indicatori definiti dalla Rete europe...
La storia delle istituzioni costituzionali prima e repubblicane poi che hanno segnato il lungo pr... more La storia delle istituzioni costituzionali prima e repubblicane poi che hanno segnato il lungo processo di trasformazione del nostro paese si qualifica, in una chiave di lettura comparata, per tre tratti distintivi (2) . Il primo riguarda la natura elitaria, ovvero non inclusiva, del processo di unificazione, che ha lasciato aperte faglie di consenso mai completamente compensate o bilanciate da capacità amministrative elevate, sia da parte del centro politico, sia da parte dell’élite che in quel centro ha svolto funzioni a diversi livelli di responsabilità decisionale. Il secondo tratto riguarda la persistente rilevanza delle identità locali, tratto forse non disgiunto dal precedente ancorché non linearmente determinato da quello. Queste identità sono soprattutto espresse nelle istituzioni di governo dei territori. Se infatti l’adozione di un modello francese, improntato sull’unità amministrativa provinciale, ha dato al governo locale un elemento di raccordo con il centro – e altro ...
This article proposes a comparative analysis on the functioning and management of the European ju... more This article proposes a comparative analysis on the functioning and management of the European judicial systems. The paper aims to create a "moving photograph", which considers the transformations taking place in the judicial apparatuses. The article uses the indicators defined by the European Network of Councils for the Judiciary to assess the judicial systems, in terms of degree of independence and accountability of both the judiciary as a whole and the individual judge. The analysed countries (Italy, France, Hungary, Sweden and Netherlands) present specific features and are representative of the different geographical areas of Europe.
Several studies have demonstrated that there is a correlation between the number of Italian lawye... more Several studies have demonstrated that there is a correlation between the number of Italian lawyers and the litigation rate in the field of civil law. Yet, there are no empirical studies about the functioning of law firms and the connection between the latter and courts of justice. This experimental article intends to "follow the actors", that is, to metaphorical go inside the Italian law offices to analyse their specific logics of action. This research's main hypothesis is that the "business idea" that steers every law firm - which is, the specific combination of market, product and structure - can influence the activities of the judicial offices. As a matter of fact, courts and law firms are interdependent as far as some organizational features are concerned, and these features must be analysed to understand and tackle the problems that afflict the judicial systems and influence their ability to "do justice" for citizens. This article's reflections are based on a 3-year empirical research, carried out in three Italian law firms dealing with labour and employment.
in Sciacca M., Verzelloni L., Miccoli G. (a cura), Giustizia in bilico. I percorsi di innovazione giudiziaria: attori, risorse, governance, Aracne (Rome), 2013
Where are the legal professions heading? What are they trying to do to overcome the difficulties ... more Where are the legal professions heading? What are they trying to do to overcome the difficulties of the judicial systems and, at the same time, to reaffirm their role in society and improve the citizens’ confidence in the legal system? This article will focus on the Italian case presenting the phenomenon of the “Observatories of civil justice”: inter-professional groups that have spontaneously developed in various Italian judicial offices, in order to define some shared interpretative and behavioural practices. The article bases its arguments on the results of a long period of empirical research, conducted with qualitative methods. This case, one of a kind, will give grounds to analyse many of the issues currently under discussion in the broad debate of the emergent socio-legal studies.
E-learning Course
e-UNIFOJ. Permanent Observatory for Justice (OPJ)
University of Coimbra
AB... more E-learning Course
e-UNIFOJ. Permanent Observatory for Justice (OPJ)
University of Coimbra
ABOUT
What does innovation mean? What are the different forms and expressions of judicial innovation? What are the risks and opportunities associated with innovation in justice? Why isn't innovation always enough to improve the quality and efficiency of justice? Is it possible to innovate in a sustainable and responsible way? And above all, how can we move from practice to theory and back again?
Innovation is one of the most important and, at the same time, most ambiguous concepts of our times and it is extremely difficult to define and to measure. In recent years, it has become a "collective aspiration", since it represents the "Pole star" that guides governments, international institutions, private companies, the third sector, the scientific community and civil society. The rhetoric that accompanies innovation has ended up transforming it into a sort of religion. In recent years, the affirmation of the "innovation imperative" has given a political connotation to the concept of innovation in the public sector: innovation policies are no longer an exception and have become the rule, ending up being the main method used to manage public systems. This is particularly evident in the judicial sector, both in the global North and global South.
Until recently, the concept of "judicial innovation" was used above all in the Common Law systems, but also in the Civil Law ones, to refer exclusively to jurisprudential creativity, i.e. to the activism of judges and courts in the judicial law-making process. The birth and affirmation of the branch of studies on the administration of justice has gradually revealed a new meaning of the notion of judicial innovation: the introduction of new ideas or behaviour both in judicial systems as a whole and courts on the central and local level. This eLearning course intends to discuss the most recently accepted meaning of judicial innovation. It focuses on the innovations that impact the daily activities of legal professionals, the organization of judicial offices and the governance of judicial systems.
Unlike other initiatives on this topic, this course proposes a change of perspective: it does not use abstract theories to analyse judicial innovations. Instead, it moves back and forth from practice to theory. The starting point is the innovations which have been implemented in many judicial offices all over the world. With this awareness, this course aims to provide participants with conceptual and methodological tools, on the one hand, to interpret the paths of innovation in the judicial field and, on the other, to critically reflect on their possible effects, in terms of access to justice, the capacity to meet society’s demands for justice, the predictability of judicial decisions, transparency, the quality of judicial services, judicial independence and accountability. All this will allow the participants to come to a full circle (metaphorically), that is – this time – to go from theory into practice.
The course has 5 general objectives:
provide specific knowledge and skills to read, understand and manage the transformations taking place in the judicial systems, both in the global North and global South;
explore innovation in and governance of the judicial systems;
reflect on the unexpected, perverse and paradoxical effects of continuous judicial innovation;
propose an active, dynamic and practice-oriented training, according to the participants' interests – considered "protagonists" and not mere "spectators" of this eLearning course;
promote an exchange of national and international experiences among the participants to stimulate a general debate on these issues.
RECIPIENTS
The course is intended for an international audience, inside and outside Europe, both in the global North and global South. This training initiative has three broad types of target audience. Firstly, professionals and legal practitioners – whatever their function (judges, public prosecutors, lawyers, paralegals, officials, technical consultants, bailiffs, law enforcement officers, etc.). Secondly, academics and researchers and, specifically, those who deal with complex organizational systems – just like justice – and those who are interested in studying the interconnections between law and society. Thirdly, policy makers, who deal directly or indirectly with justice, on a national, regional or international level.
TRAINING METHODOLOGY
The course is organized in 4 modules. Each module is divided into 3 sub-themes, which introduce some key cross-cutting themes. Following the e-UNIFOJ training methodology, participants have at their disposal:
a) a presentation or a video about the organization of the course and its training contents;
b) a discussion forum where you can discuss your reflections and ask questions to the teachers, as well as interact with the other participants;
c) a live chat with the teachers, to be scheduled at the beginning of the course.
Furthermore, for each module, the following items are provided:
d) a vade mecum with the main research questions and themes, in order to guide the participants and encourage a critical reflection on the course's topics;
e) a series of theoretical and practical materials (scientific articles, book chapters, presentations, documents, diagrams, graphs, videos, etc.);
f) additional bibliography to expand the acquired knowledge.
All materials will be available during the course and up to two months after its closure. Those who complete the course will receive a certificate of participation.
Registration limit: The course will be held with a minimum of 12 and a maximum of 30 participants
Language: English
Certified Training - Associated State Laboratory | Decree-Law no. 396/2007 of 31/12 | DL no. 125/99, of 20/04 | Statutes of the Centre for Social Studies, University of Coimbra
PROGRAMME
Module I: Winds of innovation in justice (Luca Verzelloni)
1) Institutional, organizational and governance innovations
2) Innovations in case and court management techniques
3) Innovations in the forms and instruments of external communication and social responsibility reporting
Module II: Towards justice 5.0 (Daniela Piana)
1) When digital technologies meet justice needs
2) Artificial intelligence and algorithms
3) Virtual doors: equal access for all?
Module III: From practice to theory and back again (Luca Verzelloni)
1) Forms and expressions of judicial innovation
2) Diffusion of innovations and change management
3) Virtuous and vicious effects of continuous judicial innovation
Module IV: Promoting the quality of justice (Daniela Piana)
1) Innovation and the quality of justice
2) How to innovate the policy design
3) How to develop innovation policies
Il libro si occupa dei paradossi dell’innovazione nei sistemi giustizia del Sud Europa, ossia del... more Il libro si occupa dei paradossi dell’innovazione nei sistemi giustizia del Sud Europa, ossia dell’emergere e del perpetuarsi della contraddizione in termini secondo cui a un’uguaglianza formale non corrisponde sempre e comunque un’uguaglianza di trattamento per tutti i cittadini. Frutto di un periodo pluriennale di ricerca empirica, il volume intende, da un lato, scattare una “fotografia in movimento” della giustizia in Grecia, Spagna, Portogallo, Italia e, dall’altro, proporre un modello interpretativo, mai utilizzato in precedenza, per analizzare gli effetti perversi e disfunzionali del ricorso continuo all’innovazione. Il testo si rivolge agli operatori della giustizia, agli studiosi di organizzazioni complesse, ai sociologi del diritto e ai policy makers. È destinato, altresì, a tutti i cittadini interessati a comprendere le logiche di funzionamento degli apparati giudiziari, nella consapevolezza che la giustizia non possa essere concepita come uno dei tanti servizi pubblici, ma che rappresenti uno degli elementi di base per costruire società più giuste e inclusive, capaci di raggiungere uno sviluppo sostenibile.
Luca Verzelloni affronta in questo volume un argomento spinoso, complesso e di grande attualità: ... more Luca Verzelloni affronta in questo volume un argomento spinoso, complesso e di grande attualità: l'organizzazione del sistema giudiziario italiano. L'autore traccia dapprima un quadro generale dell'organizzazione dei tribunali per poi esporre i risultati della sua ricerca empirica, condotta attraverso il metodo dell'organizzazione partecipante, all'interno dei contesti sociali dove ogni giorno viene amministrata la giustizia. Le domande che si è posto l'autore riguardano proprio le prassi concrete che si sono affermate nel tempo all'interno della "fabbrica del diritto": Come lavorano i giudici? Come costruiscono le decisioni sui procedimenti che sono chiamati a dirimere? Che ruolo ha il contesto in cui operano? Che ruolo hanno le tecnologie che intervengono nel lavoro del giudice? L'obiettivo di questa rigorosa analisi è quello di sezionare i diversi aspetti del lavoro quotidiano all'interno delle corti per individuare quelle prassi che, anche in assenza di riforme radicali, possano produrre nel medio periodo il miracolo tanto atteso di un cambiamento reale sotto il profilo dell’efficienza giudiziaria.
Gli avvocati sono utenti o protagonisti del servizio giustizia? In che misura il comportamento de... more Gli avvocati sono utenti o protagonisti del servizio giustizia? In che misura il comportamento dei legali concorre a determinare il buon andamento degli apparati giudiziari? E soprattutto, in che modo l’avvocatura contribuisce e potrebbe contribuire, in ottica futura, al miglioramento di efficienza ed efficacia della giustizia civile? Il volume, frutto di un periodo decennale di ricerca empirica, fornisce un contributo originale e innovativo allo studio di una delle professioni più importanti e, al contempo, più discusse e criticate della nostra società. Il libro indaga il complesso e inesplorato tema dei rapporti fra avvocati e uffici giudiziari, allargando il focus a una pluralità di dimensioni, fra cui: l’organizzazione degli studi legali, l’uso delle tecnologie informatiche, il rapporto con i clienti, l’interazione con i colleghi, il comportamento in udienza, il dialogo con la magistratura e il ruolo degli Ordini forensi nei percorsi d’innovazione giudiziaria. Questa ricerca si offre come uno specchio attraverso il quale gli “addetti ai lavori” – in primis gli avvocati – possano riconoscersi e ripensare in senso critico alla loro professione. Il libro si rivolge altresì a tutti i cittadini interessati a comprendere le logiche d’azione che guidano il funzionamento delle corti di giustizia.
La monografia intende accompagnare il lettore in un viaggio all’interno della giustizia civile it... more La monografia intende accompagnare il lettore in un viaggio all’interno della giustizia civile italiana, affrontando molte delle questioni attualmente oggetto di discussione sia in ambito accademico sia nel dibattito pubblico. Il libro presenta i risultati di diversi periodi di ricerca all’interno di alcuni uffici giudiziari e studi legali italiani. Il filo rosso che collega tali esperienze è l’idea secondo cui, per comprendere l’attività dei professionisti del diritto, sia necessario esaminare i processi di istituzionalizzazione del sapere esperto che queste figure incarnano. Il volume propone un modello teorico innovativo, che si basa su tre dimensioni d’analisi: pratica, prassi e norma. Il saggio intende essere, da un lato, uno specchio, attraverso il quale gli operatori giuridici possano riconoscersi e ripensare alle loro attività e, dall’altro, uno strumento di conoscenza, per superare le barriere professionali che condizionano il funzionamento della giustizia italiana.
Il volume affronta i nessi che intercorrono tra il contesto sociale, l’expertise tecnico-scientif... more Il volume affronta i nessi che intercorrono tra il contesto sociale, l’expertise tecnico-scientifica, il diritto e la politica a partire dalle vicende legate all'emergenza epidemiologica da SARS-CoV-2. In quest’ottica, soffermandosi sui tratti caratteristici del Governo dell’emergenza nell’ambito della nostra democrazia costituzionale, e proponendosi come sede di dibattito transdisciplinare, il volume si sofferma su alcune specifiche domande di ricerca. Chi sono gli “esperti” e quale ruolo giocano nei regimi politici contemporanei? Quali sono i compiti della scienza nell'età dell’emergenza e della disinformazione? È ammissibile un ruolo "paternalistico" degli scienziati rispetto ai cittadini, alla politica e al legislatore? Sono ipotizzabili forme di controllo democratico sulla loro attività? Qual è funzione della comunicazione nel confronto tra scienza e società? Ancora, a partire dalle politiche di contenimento della pandemia, qual è il ruolo delle istituzioni politiche nazionali e sovranazionali nella regolamentazione di ambiti ad alta specializzazione tecnico-scientifica?
Uploads
Papers by Luca Verzelloni
e-UNIFOJ. Permanent Observatory for Justice (OPJ)
University of Coimbra
ABOUT
What does innovation mean? What are the different forms and expressions of judicial innovation? What are the risks and opportunities associated with innovation in justice? Why isn't innovation always enough to improve the quality and efficiency of justice? Is it possible to innovate in a sustainable and responsible way? And above all, how can we move from practice to theory and back again?
Innovation is one of the most important and, at the same time, most ambiguous concepts of our times and it is extremely difficult to define and to measure. In recent years, it has become a "collective aspiration", since it represents the "Pole star" that guides governments, international institutions, private companies, the third sector, the scientific community and civil society. The rhetoric that accompanies innovation has ended up transforming it into a sort of religion. In recent years, the affirmation of the "innovation imperative" has given a political connotation to the concept of innovation in the public sector: innovation policies are no longer an exception and have become the rule, ending up being the main method used to manage public systems. This is particularly evident in the judicial sector, both in the global North and global South.
Until recently, the concept of "judicial innovation" was used above all in the Common Law systems, but also in the Civil Law ones, to refer exclusively to jurisprudential creativity, i.e. to the activism of judges and courts in the judicial law-making process. The birth and affirmation of the branch of studies on the administration of justice has gradually revealed a new meaning of the notion of judicial innovation: the introduction of new ideas or behaviour both in judicial systems as a whole and courts on the central and local level. This eLearning course intends to discuss the most recently accepted meaning of judicial innovation. It focuses on the innovations that impact the daily activities of legal professionals, the organization of judicial offices and the governance of judicial systems.
Unlike other initiatives on this topic, this course proposes a change of perspective: it does not use abstract theories to analyse judicial innovations. Instead, it moves back and forth from practice to theory. The starting point is the innovations which have been implemented in many judicial offices all over the world. With this awareness, this course aims to provide participants with conceptual and methodological tools, on the one hand, to interpret the paths of innovation in the judicial field and, on the other, to critically reflect on their possible effects, in terms of access to justice, the capacity to meet society’s demands for justice, the predictability of judicial decisions, transparency, the quality of judicial services, judicial independence and accountability. All this will allow the participants to come to a full circle (metaphorically), that is – this time – to go from theory into practice.
The course has 5 general objectives:
provide specific knowledge and skills to read, understand and manage the transformations taking place in the judicial systems, both in the global North and global South;
explore innovation in and governance of the judicial systems;
reflect on the unexpected, perverse and paradoxical effects of continuous judicial innovation;
propose an active, dynamic and practice-oriented training, according to the participants' interests – considered "protagonists" and not mere "spectators" of this eLearning course;
promote an exchange of national and international experiences among the participants to stimulate a general debate on these issues.
RECIPIENTS
The course is intended for an international audience, inside and outside Europe, both in the global North and global South. This training initiative has three broad types of target audience. Firstly, professionals and legal practitioners – whatever their function (judges, public prosecutors, lawyers, paralegals, officials, technical consultants, bailiffs, law enforcement officers, etc.). Secondly, academics and researchers and, specifically, those who deal with complex organizational systems – just like justice – and those who are interested in studying the interconnections between law and society. Thirdly, policy makers, who deal directly or indirectly with justice, on a national, regional or international level.
TRAINING METHODOLOGY
The course is organized in 4 modules. Each module is divided into 3 sub-themes, which introduce some key cross-cutting themes. Following the e-UNIFOJ training methodology, participants have at their disposal:
a) a presentation or a video about the organization of the course and its training contents;
b) a discussion forum where you can discuss your reflections and ask questions to the teachers, as well as interact with the other participants;
c) a live chat with the teachers, to be scheduled at the beginning of the course.
Furthermore, for each module, the following items are provided:
d) a vade mecum with the main research questions and themes, in order to guide the participants and encourage a critical reflection on the course's topics;
e) a series of theoretical and practical materials (scientific articles, book chapters, presentations, documents, diagrams, graphs, videos, etc.);
f) additional bibliography to expand the acquired knowledge.
All materials will be available during the course and up to two months after its closure. Those who complete the course will receive a certificate of participation.
Registration limit: The course will be held with a minimum of 12 and a maximum of 30 participants
Language: English
Certified Training - Associated State Laboratory | Decree-Law no. 396/2007 of 31/12 | DL no. 125/99, of 20/04 | Statutes of the Centre for Social Studies, University of Coimbra
PROGRAMME
Module I: Winds of innovation in justice (Luca Verzelloni)
1) Institutional, organizational and governance innovations
2) Innovations in case and court management techniques
3) Innovations in the forms and instruments of external communication and social responsibility reporting
Module II: Towards justice 5.0 (Daniela Piana)
1) When digital technologies meet justice needs
2) Artificial intelligence and algorithms
3) Virtual doors: equal access for all?
Module III: From practice to theory and back again (Luca Verzelloni)
1) Forms and expressions of judicial innovation
2) Diffusion of innovations and change management
3) Virtuous and vicious effects of continuous judicial innovation
Module IV: Promoting the quality of justice (Daniela Piana)
1) Innovation and the quality of justice
2) How to innovate the policy design
3) How to develop innovation policies