TESTIFYING ACROSS CULTURES: TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS

Abstract

Legal practitioners frequently report problems during cross-cultural witness interviews. This article analyses the scope, nature, and extent of the available literature on culture and witness testimony to help inform decisions for further studies. A comprehensive search was performed in databases such as Scopus and Web of Science Core Collection. Seven key thematic areas were identified: (1) Language as culture in the courtroom; (2) Expert witnesses as gatekeepers to culture; (3) The role of the interpreter; (4) Adjudicators’ understanding of culture; (5) The culture defence; (6) Mental health, memory, and culture; and (7) Legal culture. The results and implications are discussed.