Research Handbook on the Ombudsman

Edited by Marc Hertogh, Professor of Socio-Legal Studies, University of Groningen, the Netherlands and Richard Kirkham, Senior Lecturer in Public Law, University of Sheffield, UK

'This ambitious work canvasses perspectives on the ombudsman role from across the globe and in a range of historical and social contexts; focusing on the public sector as the traditional heartland of the ombudsman. The Editors, Marc Hertogh and Richard Kirkham have assembled an impressive and diverse set of voices, from the EU to the Global South to Australia and beyond, and across different institutional settings the inclusion of under-scrutinized and interdisciplinary perspectives is particularly helpful. The focus on the ombudsman as a community of practice on the one hand, and as a reflection of aspirations around the rule of law, equity and fairness on the other, leads to a rich, thought-provoking, practical and engaging collection. Taking seriously the ideas, people and contexts that animate the ombudsman's role will resonate with a broad readership.'--Lorne Sossin, Osgoode Hall Law School, York University, Canada'This important and useful edited collection brings together international perspectives on the current state of ombudsman research. Contributions from researchers, academics and practitioners from different jurisdictions provide valuable insights into debates on the ombudsman concept, its evolution and evaluation. It is a valuable addition to the literature on ombudsmen, and will be useful to academics, practitioners and policymakers.'--Mary Seneviratne, Nottingham Trent University, UK'Hertogh and Kirkham set out to fill a void in ombudsman studies by collating an overview of state-of-the-art scholarship. They have succeeded. This wide-ranging and multi-jurisdictional collection of essays will push the boundaries of ombudsman research and greatly enrich it in the process.'--Simon Halliday, University of York, UK

• Contents:ForewordPeter Tyndall 1. The Ombudsman and Administrative Justice: From Promise to PerformanceMarc Hertogh and Richard KirkhamPART I: FUNDAMENTALS OF THE OMBUDSMAN2. The History and Evolution of the Ombudsman ModelSabine Carl3. Ombudsmen and Public Authorities: A Modest ProposalNick O’Brien4. The Private Sector OmbudsmanChristopher HodgesPART II: THE EVOLUTION OF THE OMBUDSMAN5. Ombudsmen: ‘Hunting Lions’ or ‘Swatting Flies'Carol Harlow6. The Politics of the Ombudsman: The Hong Kong ExperienceJohannes Chan and Vivianne Wong7. The Ombudsman and the Rule of LawBenny Tai8. The European Ombudsman and the Court of Justice of the European Union: Competition or Symbiosis in Promoting Transparency?Milan Remac9. The Rule of Law in the European Union: Standards of the Ombudsman, Judge, and Auditor Alex Brenninkmeijer and Emma van Gelder10. Ombudspersons in Developing Countries: The Case of IndonesiaAdriaan Bedner11. The Transposition of the Ombudsman Model to the Human Rights Domain: Its Role as a Policy EntrepreneurCarlos Alza Barco 12. Fifty Years of the Ombudsman in AfricaVictor Ayeni13. Ombuds Institutions: Strengthening Gender Equality, Women’s Access to Justice and Protection and Promotion of Women’s RightsLinda C. ReifPART III: EVALUATION OF THE OMBUDSMAN14. The Profile of Complainants: How to Overcome the 'Matthew Effect'? Bernard Hubeau15. How Do Complainants Experience the Ombuds Procedure? Detecting Cultural Patterns of Disputing Behavior - A Comparative Analysis of Users that Complain about Financial Services Naomi Creutzfeldt and Ben Bradford16. What Do Government Agencies Learn from the Ombudsman?Chris Gill17. Ombudsmen in Prisons: Reviewing and ReformingMatthew Groves18. The National Ombudsman and Proper Police Conduct Yvonne van der Vlugt19. The Use of Own-Initiative Powers by the OmbudsmanLaura Díez Bueso20. Effectiveness and Independence of the Ombudsman's Own Motion Investigations: A Practitioner's Perspective from The NetherlandsMaaike de Langen, Emily Govers and Reinier Van ZutphenPART IV: OMBUDSMAN OFFICE AND PROFESSION21. Administering Access to the Public Ombuds Institution. A Case Study on the Austrian Ombudsman BoardJulia Dahlvik and Axel Pohn-Weidinger22. Ombuds Can, Ombuds Can’t, Ombuds Should, Ombuds Shan’t: A Call to Improve Evaluation of the Ombudsman Institution Anita Stumckhe23. The Ombudsman in Australia: Flourishing, Expanding, Diversifying, InnovatingJohn McMillan24. Ombudsman Values: A Guide to PracticeRobert Behrens25. The 21st Century Ombudsperson: A Guarantor of Democracy Manuel Lezertua26. What’s in a Name: A Discussion Paper on Ombud TerminologyVarda Bondy and Margaret DoylePART V: CONCLUSION27. An Agenda for Future Ombudsman Research: Towards a General "Ombuds-Science"Marc Hertogh and Richard KirkhamIndex