From Invisible to Visible: Locating “Cultural Expertise” in the Law Courts of Two Finnish Cities

Abstract

In this chapter, I examine the informal cultural expertise utilized in the District Courts and Courts of Appeal of two Finnish cities. I argue that the parties that serve as providers of “cultural expertise” are manifold and include eyewitnesses, interpreters, and even the courts themselves. I examine the challenges regarding the informal use of cultural expertise, drawing from debates that consider the relationship between an “insider-expert” and a “trained-expert” in acting as a cultural mediator.

Citation

Cooke, T. (2019), "From Invisible to Visible: Locating “Cultural Expertise” in the Law Courts of Two Finnish Cities", Cultural Expertise and Socio-Legal Studies (Studies in Law, Politics, and Society, Vol. 78), Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 13-33. https://doi.org/10.1108/S1059-433720190000078002