About EnAJUS

The Administration of Justice Meeting - EnAJUS 2021 aims to discuss, on the basis of evidence, the different theoretical, methodological and practical dimensions that inform the functioning of Justice. This discussion brings together several areas of knowledge, including Law, Economics, Sociology and Public Administration, to generate and disseminate knowledge that improve the efficiency and effectiveness of Justice. This action is particularly important as justice systems are, generally, expensive, congested, slow and ineffective.

The Administration of Justice is a topic of great social and political importance, but has been studied very little, particularly in Portuguese-speaking countries. The Administration of Justice requires the coordinated and articulated use of resources, knowledge, people, rules and laws, with the aim of resolving conflicts between individuals, groups and organizations. Well-managed justice systems are a civilizing influence on societies and contribute to social peace and the general socioeconomic development of countries. They can also foster social relationships based on ethical and moral values and principles, including respect for the laws and rules that govern such relationships, and the recognition of the rights of social groups and individuals.

The concept of the justice system embraces the functioning of judicial and other organizations that are essential to justice, such as the courts, the Public Prosecutor's Office, the Public Defender’s Office, public advocates, advocates, notaries and public security bodies. The relationships between organizations in the justice system and organizations in other systems are also important, such as those between political, government, market and civil society organizations. As a field of research, the Administration of Justice comprises multiple theories and research methods, which are used to investigate the management of the justice system from different perspectives and at levels of analysis. It deals with the relationship between administration and the provision of justice in a given social context, using multiple conceptual and methodological lenses.

The 2018 and 2019 meetings of EnAJUS, held in Brasilia, Brazil, was the result of cooperation between the research group Administration of Justice (AJUS), the Graduate Program in Administration, and the Graduate Program in Law, both from the University of Brasília, the Center for Administration and Public Policy (CAPP) of the University of Lisbon, and the Brazilian Institute of Social Studies and Research (IBEPES). The 2020 meeting was held online, due to the global pandemic COVID-19, and two important new actors joined the organizing group: Positivo University, through postgraduate programs in Administration and Law, and the Directorate-General for Justice Policy, of the Ministry of Justice of Portugal.

The event has quickly become established and in 2021 it extends its borders still further. On each of the previous occasions, the event brought together approximately 120 participants, including professors, researchers, technicians, public managers and public policy makers, legal operators and undergraduate and graduate students. More information about previous EnAJUS meetings can be found at https://www.enajus.org.br/en.

EnAJUS 2021 has as its central theme the Administration of Justice, Law, and Public and Private Administration. The central theme is intended to stimulate reflection on the apparent paradox resulting from the need for applied justice, the law and its various sources to coexist with entities in the public and private sectors. If that coexistence sometimes appears difficult, or almost impossible, the interdependence of the various parties is also vital. The focus of EnAJUS 2021 will therefore be to explore the impacts, ramifications, obstacles and inevitabilities that the administration of justice and law cause in public and private administration and vice versa, as well as exploring how these forces are shaped and conform to each other.

EnAJUS 2021 will be held in both face-to-face and online modalities and will feature sessions for the presentation of papers and thematic panels. The Organizing Committee will publish a detailed program of the event, the activities and sessions that will be held in-person and remotely. The panels will include specialists who will discuss the issues related to the Administration of Justice. The themes may set by the Organizing Committee or proposed by members of the community.

In addition, the event will feature mini courses, focused on research methods and techniques that will offer training opportunities to individuals interested in expanding their knowledge of research in the Administration of Justice, supported by data and evidence.

Scope and Objectives

The Administration of Justice Meeting - EnAJUS 2021 is a space for dialogue between professors, researchers, technicians, public managers and public policy makers, legal professionals, and undergraduate and graduate students interested in the topic. The event will stimulate an in-depth debate among the participants and aims to:

1. To extend, organize and disseminate knowledge about the Administration of Justice;
2. Develop cooperative networks, with the exchange of experiences related to the theme;
3. Disseminate knowledge about innovations and good management practices in organizations of the justice system;
4. Promote interdisciplinarity, showing how the Administration of Justice brings together various areas of knowledge, such as Law, Economics, Sociology and Public Administration;
5. Contribute to the training of individuals interested in conducting research on the Administration of Justice based on data and evidence.