Rahela Khorakiwala, From the Colonial to the Contemporary

In this insightful monograph, Rahela Khorakiwala analyses the manner in which the iconography of three Indian high courts (Calcutta, Bombay, and Madras) influences the judicial spaces as well as the narratives and delivery of justice. The three courts were all established in 1862, although their physical structures were constructed at different points during the late nineteenth century; Khorakiwala is, therefore, interested in exploring their distinct identities that grew from a common core. Using an eclectic methodology involving archival work, participant observation of judicial proceedings, and ethnographic interviews, Khorakiwala argues that the visual culture of courts performs a crucial role in creating an internal history of law and judicial institutions that affect public perceptions, and thereby the legitimacy, of the law. Visual culture is important, as Khorakiwala notes, since justice must not only be done but also be seen to be done. This ocular aspect of justice, therefore, requires the study...

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