A Dignified Judge’s (Re)Presentation of Self

Abstract

*Accepted for publication in the Papers on Social Representations.* Goffman (1959) posits that individuals are performers, maintaining a “front” depending on social contexts they navigate. Highly institutionalized roles, such as that of a judge, involve a front pre-established by law or social expectations. The role of a judge as prepared by the law entails the performance of dignity.Goffman believes that this front is collectively represented and takes on a factual existence. Employing Moscovici’s (1961) social representations approach and Abric’s (2005) hierarchical evocation method, we explore the representation of a judge’s dignity among practicing lawyers. This study delves into the performative aspect a the role of a judge as a character in a performance of a trial. Our findings highlight a dramatic persona of a dignified judge, characterized by specific appearance and manner, and setting used to objectify the judge’s dignity.