Cross-Lingual Word Embeddings for Unravelling the Rule of Law in European Countries

Abstract

This proof-of-concept study addresses the multifaceted nature of the rule of law through two main objectives. First, it measures the concept’s meaning across different European jurisdictions using word embeddings (vectors) and tests various conjectures derived from discussions on legal traditions. Second, employing word vectors it recalibrates the established rule of law indicators by applying systematically derived weights to their constituent elements. Although the findings show mixed support for the conjectures, they indicate a convergence in the conceptualization of the rule of law across diverse legal traditions. Furthermore, while adjustments to the rule of law indicators are generally minor, using word vectors proves to be a valid method for assessing the robustness of existing indicators and constructing confidence intervals around them.

Bastián González-Bustamante

Post-doctoral Researcher

Post-doctoral Researcher in Computational Social Science and a lecturer in Governance and Development at the Institute of Public Administration at the Faculty of Governance and Global Affairs at Leiden University, Netherlands.