About Judging without Justice: Institutional Bias of Intersectional Identities in the Legal System
Judging without Justice: Institutional Bias of Intersectional Identities in the Legal System
About this Collection
A legal system is supposed to function objectively by providing everyone with equal protection under the law. However, for those who have multiple marginalized identities, including race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, socioeconomic status, immigration status, and disability, they may not have had this experience with the justice system. The ways in which they experience bias in the legal system is unique and compounded, but the frameworks under which the law operates may only understand these identities in isolation rather than in tandem. Researchers and practitioners in the legal sphere have established that bias does exist against people with one of these identities and recently, have taken a more nuanced approach on the unique impact of those identifying with multiple marginalized identities. It is more urgent than ever to investigate how the legal system is handling these intersecting injustices because of the rising global attention to issues of systemic racism, gender-based violence, and displacement.
The purpose of this collection is to further understand the bias that people from multiple marginalized identities experience in all aspects of the legal system and to offer reform, recommendations and best practices to reduce these ongoing issues.
Contributions are invited, but not limited to, the following topics related to intersectional identities:
We invite submissions to this collection that explore these topics globally and from diverse disciplines, theories, and concepts. Submissions are welcomed from the global north and south so the topic could be explored from various cultural and political-economic contexts in which a legal system operates. Authors are encouraged to submit original research articles, method articles, theoretical papers, policy perspectives, and review articles. Case studies that review exemplary legal systems to reduce systemic problems or ones that have made progress towards these goals are also invited.
The deadline for this Article Collection is 26 March 2026
Keywords
1. intersectionality
2. identity
3. bias
4. marginalization
5. legal system
About the Guest Advisor
Dr. Amanda ElBassiouny received her MS and Ph.D. in Social Psychology from Howard University. She is a faculty member in the Department of Psychology at California Lutheran University, where she teaches a variety of social psychology, statistics, and research methods courses. Her research focuses on the stereotyping, prejudice, and discrimination a person experiences based on the intersectionality of their identities, including race/ethnicity, religion, gender, and mental health status, particularly in the criminal justice system.
Dr. ElBassiouny does not have any Conflicts of Interest to disclose.
Institutional Page
The purpose of this collection is to further understand the bias that people from multiple marginalized identities experience in all aspects of the legal system and to offer reform, recommendations and best practices to reduce these ongoing issues.
Contributions are invited, but not limited to, the following topics related to intersectional identities:
- Implicit bias and exclusion during the jury selection process
- Accessibility gaps in receiving legal aid and bias in client representation
- Cultural competency in policing and lawyering
- Bias against the lawyer and/or client in juror decision-making
- Disparities in pretrial detention, bail, verdict, and sentencing
- Discrimination in immigration proceedings
- Restorative justice models and community building legal interventions
- Equity in policing, lawyering, and judicial training
We invite submissions to this collection that explore these topics globally and from diverse disciplines, theories, and concepts. Submissions are welcomed from the global north and south so the topic could be explored from various cultural and political-economic contexts in which a legal system operates. Authors are encouraged to submit original research articles, method articles, theoretical papers, policy perspectives, and review articles. Case studies that review exemplary legal systems to reduce systemic problems or ones that have made progress towards these goals are also invited.
The deadline for this Article Collection is 26 March 2026
Keywords
1. intersectionality
2. identity
3. bias
4. marginalization
5. legal system
About the Guest Advisor
Dr. Amanda ElBassiouny received her MS and Ph.D. in Social Psychology from Howard University. She is a faculty member in the Department of Psychology at California Lutheran University, where she teaches a variety of social psychology, statistics, and research methods courses. Her research focuses on the stereotyping, prejudice, and discrimination a person experiences based on the intersectionality of their identities, including race/ethnicity, religion, gender, and mental health status, particularly in the criminal justice system.
Dr. ElBassiouny does not have any Conflicts of Interest to disclose.
Institutional Page
Collection Advisor
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Amanda ElBassiouny