Dr. Maureen Stobb

Biography

Maureen Stobb received her Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Texas at Dallas. She completed her B.A. in Political Science at the College of New Jersey and obtained a J.D. from the University of Notre Dame. She was an intern at the fifth session of the Preparatory Commission for the International Criminal Court and at Amnesty International’s London office. She also practiced law for seven years, primarily as an immigration and asylum attorney. 

Dr. Stobb specializes in law and courts, and immigration policy. In her research, Dr. Stobb examines the impact of the use of legal concepts and arguments, and reliance on courts, to address public policy problems. In particular, she studies the use of law and legal processes to promote international norms of human rights and dignity, to address challenges posed by human migration, and to define the rights and duties attached to citizenship. Her research involves asking questions about the purpose of specific laws and processes; the factors influencing choices in legal language and procedure;  and influences on interpretation, implementation and output. It also raises questions about how individuals perceive the law, and the extent to which it influences their attitudes and behavior.  Dr. Stobb’s current research agenda focuses on the formulation, implementation and impact of citizenship and immigration policy. 

Selected Publications

• Stobb, Maureen and Joshua Kennedy, “Judicial Specialization and Deference in Asylum Cases on the U.S. Courts of Appeals.” American Political Science Review. Conditional Acceptance.
• Stobb, Maureen and Jamie Scalera-Elliot (2023) “Crafting the Language of Borders: The European Court of Justice’s Strategic Opinion Writing in Rights Cases.” Law & Policy.
• Stobb, Maureen, Banks Miller and Joshua Kennedy (2023) “Who Controls the Immigration Bureaucracy? The Relative Influence of the Three Branches over Asylum Policy Implementation.” American Politics Research 51(2): 235-246.
• Stobb, Maureen, Banks Miller and Joshua Kennedy (2022) “Mixed Messages & Bounded Rationality: The Perverse Consequences of Real ID for Immigration Policy.” Policy Studies Journal.
• Stobb, Maureen (2021) “The Costs of Going Global: Lower Court Response to Constitutional Cross-Fertilization.” Journal of Law and Courts 9(2): 215-232.
• Stobb, Maureen (2019) “Power of the Pen or the Gavel? Determining Asylum Standards on the Courts of Appeals” Justice System Journal 40(3): 196-220.

Last updated: 8/25/2023