Boundary Crossing Between Academia and Law: Understanding Researchers’ Participation in Legal Cases Pertaining to Educational Equity

Abstract

ABSTRACT Social scientists’ involvement with the legal system is critical for tackling inequities in education and informing legal developments in ways that are grounded in empirical realities that document the myriad ways race shapes educational opportunity and outcomes. This study examined the experiences of social scientists who have participated in legal cases pertaining to education policy and equity. Drawing from the notion of boundary crossing to conceptualize the actions and interactions these researchers are engaged in, findings illuminate policies and practices within higher education that can support and sustain the work of other boundary crossers, as well as promising approaches for reconceptualizing interactions across the systems of education research and law that can more effectively support boundary crossing in law.