An Analysis of the Court of Arbitration system: Status & Power Through the Lens of Laugther

honors thesisCollege of Social & Behavioral ScienceSociologyAnnie Isabel FukushimaLaughter is a nonverbal communication that demonstrates status and power across contexts such as hospital wards, fraternities, and even the United States Supreme Court. While it may be humorous in nature, the implications of laughter as a symbol that gathers perceived status, a mediator of social hierarchies, and a predictor of social outcomes deems it beyond a laughing matter. Through mixed-method analysis of the Court of Arbitration, specifically, the available public media (i.e. YouTube and Public Television) on Judge Judith Sheindlin and the interplay of laughter between the courtroom workgroup, judge, bailiff, and other actors will be evaluated for sociological and criminogenic implications of status and power. Themes of importance discovered were humor through Judge Judy and humor beyond the judge. The principle themes were characterized by the subthemes of Judyisms, humor through the bailiff, self-deprecation, and humor as it applies to other court actors such as plaintiffs, defendants, witnesses, and the audience