Dr. Karen Alter

Biography

Karen J. Alter is a Professor of Political Science and Law at Northwestern University, where she also serves as a permanent visiting professor at the iCourts Center of Excellence at the University of Copenhagen. As co-director of the research group Global Capitalism and Law at the Buffett Institute, her research focuses on global judicialization in international relations, particularly the dynamics of international adjudication. Alter is the author of several influential works, including the award-winning book 'New Terrain of International Law: Courts, Politics, Rights' (Princeton University Press, 2014), and other significant publications such as 'International Legal Transplants: Law, Politics, and the Andean Tribunal of Justice' (Oxford University Press, 2017) and 'European Court’s Political Power' (Oxford University Press, 2009). She has contributed over fifty articles and book chapters addressing topics related to international law and comparative international courts, and she has held editorial positions for leading journals in the field. Recognized for her contributions to scholarship, Alter is a Guggenheim Fellow and has received prestigious awards, including the Berlin Prize from the American Academy in Berlin.

Research Interests