Prof. Nancy Scherer's Page

Professor Scherer has research and teaching interests in American politics with a primary emphasis on judicial politics and public law. She is the author of the book Scoring Points: Politicians, Activists and the Lower Federal Court Appointment Process. The book explores why the federal court appointment process has become such a divisive political issue in the modern political era. Professor Scherer has also published articles in the journals Political Science Quarterly, Law and Society Review and Judicature on topics such as judicial decision-making behavior and judicial appointment politics. In 2008, she will have two articles published: "Sounding the Fire Alarm: The Role of Interest Groups in the Lower Federal Court Confirmation Process" (in the Journal of Politics) and "The Federalist Society's Impact on the Federal Judiciary" (in Political Research Quarterly). Currently, her research is focused on efforts to diversify the racial and gender make-up of the federal judiciary, and its potential impact on citizens' views of the justice system. She was the 2002 recipient of the Edwin S. Corwin Award, given by the American Political Science Association, for best dissertation on public law.



		Assistant Professor Department of Political Science Wellesley College 106 Central Street Wellesley, MA 02481 Tel: (781) 283-2209 Fax: (781) 283-3644 Email: nscherer@wellesley.edu

Professor Scherer has research and teaching interests in American politics with a primary emphasis on judicial politics and public law. She is the author of the book Scoring Points: Politicians, Activists and the Lower Federal Court Appointment Process. The book explores why the federal court appointment process has become such a divisive political issue in the modern political era. Professor Scherer has also published articles in the journals Political Science Quarterly, Law and Society Review and Judicature on topics such as judicial decision-making behavior and judicial appointment politics. In 2008, she will have two articles published: "Sounding the Fire Alarm: The Role of Interest Groups in the Lower Federal Court Confirmation Process" (in the Journal of Politics) and "The Federalist Society's Impact on the Federal Judiciary" (in Political Research Quarterly). Currently, her research is focused on efforts to diversify the racial and gender make-up of the federal judiciary, and its potential impact on citizens' views of the justice system. She was the 2002 recipient of the Edwin S. Corwin Award, given by the American Political Science Association, for best dissertation on public law.
Publications
	Books Scoring Points: Politicians, Political Activists and the Lower Federal Court Appointment Process, Stanford University Press. 2005 Selected Articles "Sounding the Fire Alarm: The Role of Interest Groups in the Lower Federal Court Confirmation Process." Journal of Politics, forthcoming 2008 (pdf). "Federalist Society's Impact on the Federal Judiciary." Political Research Quarterly, forthcoming 2008 (pdf). “Blacks on the Bench.” Political Science Quarterly 119:655-672, 2004 (pdf). "The Judicial Confirmation Process: Mobilizing Elites, Mobilizing Masses." Judicature 86: 240-250, 2003 (pdf). "The Impact of Divided Government on Judicial Ideology." Law and Society Review 35: 191-218, 2001 (pdf).
Curriculum Vitae (pdf) Syllabi
	Constitutional Law (doc) Women and Law (doc) Courts, Law, and Politics (doc) American Politics (pdf)

Sarah Gibson Created: Feb. 1, 2007 Last Updated: Feb. 6, 2008