Abstract
Video links have become “the new normal” (Rossner et al. Current Issues in Criminal Justice 33:94–110, 2021) in many courtrooms across the globe. Constituting a contemporary form of interacting in trials, video-linked proceedings create new challenges and conditions for those participating via a screen and for those in the physical courtroom. In this chapter we focus on one of these aspects in particular, namely eye contact. We begin with an overview of the relevant research on courtroom interactions and video links, before moving on to show how courtroom ethnography can be used to understand the importance of eye contact in courtroom work. We then develop this to show how eye contact is disrupted by video links and discuss the ensuing justicial implications. Next, we introduce autoethnographic means for further deepening our understanding of the constructed nature of video-linked interaction. The chapter concludes with suggestions for future research and tips for how to study eye contact in physical and remote trials.
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Flower, L., Klosterkamp, S., Rowden, E. (2023). Video Links and Eyework. In: Flower, L., Klosterkamp, S. (eds) Courtroom Ethnography. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-37985-7_8
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