Legal Mobilization: Social Movements and the Judicial System across Latin America

Abstract

This Chapter presents an account of the main processes and events in the recent history of the interaction between social movements and the judicial system in Latin America. It first discusses analytical frameworks for the study of social movements and courts in the region. Secondly, it analyses the role of social movements in the creation of new legal opportunities, through their influence in constitutional conventions and judicial reform. Third, it points out some of the main developments in the interaction of movements with the court system, including progressive judicialization as well as counter-legal mobilization. Finally, it addresses multi-level processes of legal mobilization, by pointing out the importance of international litigation and subnational legal mobilization and the impact of federalism.