Trinity alumnus Julius Yam's Judging for Democracy published by Cambridge University Press

Julius Yam's monograph, Judging for Democracy, has just been published by Cambridge University Press. It is open access, and available to all.

The book examines the role of the judge in hybrid regimes, those states characterised by both democratic and authoritarian elements. Julius examines the strategies judges can deploy inside and outside of the court to resist the slide towards authoritarianism. He draws on political science, legal philosophy, and political theory to explain what judges can do and when they should do it.

“It is hard to imagine a more important, and timely, book. Julius was a doctoral student at Trinity College, and I am very grateful to Trinity, alongside Julius' other institution, Hong Kong University, for providing the funds to make his book available to all. It is a fitting tribute to an outstanding scholar who was taken from us far too soon." -  Professor Nick Barber, Wyatt Rushton Fellow and Tutor in Law at Trinity

Julius completed his DPhil in Law at Trinity before joining the University of Hong Kong as an Assistant Professor. An outstanding constitutional scholar, he died in 2024 at the age of 31. His research explored the role of courts in protecting democracy and the rule of law, and Judging for Democracy stands as a lasting contribution to that field.