#  Walmart and ASA 

 





May 20, 2011

 

 

Chris Winship posted ["Walmart and the ASA"](http://orgtheory.wordpress.com/2011/05/18/walmart-and-the-asa-a-guest-post-by-chris-winship/) to the [orgtheory blog](http://orgtheory.wordpress.com/). The piece is about the recent [ASA Amicus Brief](http://www.americanbar.org/content/dam/aba/publishing/previewbriefs/Other_Brief_Updates/10-277_respondentamcuasaandlsa.authcheckdam.pdf) which supports the use of [social framework analysis by social scientists who act as expert witnesses](http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/28/us/28scotus.html?_r=3&scp=1&sq=Bielby&st=cse) in, and whose conclusions can support class certification of, large class action discrimination litigation cases. This issue is generating a lot of debate, on [scatterplot](http://scatter.wordpress.com/2011/05/19/discrimination-briefly/) as well as orgtheory \[including a [response post](http://orgtheory.wordpress.com/2011/05/20/wal-mart-and-beyond-can-social-science-be-itself-in-court-response-to-professor-winship/)\], the outcome of which might have important implications for the role of social scientists in legal processes, such as the current Walmart case \[more on the case here [1](http://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/10-277.pdf), [2](http://www.scotusblog.com/case-files/cases/wal-mart-v-dukes?wpmp_switcher=desktop), [3](http://www.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/opinions/2010/04/26/04-16688.pdf)\] to be decided on this summer. Discussion on the blog has also incorporated other issues relating to the mission and role of ASA.



 

 

 



 

 

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