Paul M. Collins, Jr., professor of legal studies and political science, has co-authored a new book, “Supreme Bias: Gender and Race in U.S. Supreme Court Confirmation Hearings,” newly published by Stanford University Press.

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In “Supreme Bias,”Collins and co-authors Christina L. Boyd and Lori A. Ringhand, both of the University of Georgia, present for the first time a comprehensive analysis of the dynamics of race and gender at the Supreme Court confirmation hearings held before the Senate Judiciary Committee. Drawing on their deep knowledge of the confirmation hearings, as well as rich new qualitative and quantitative evidence, the authors highlight how the women and people of color who have sat before the Committee have faced a significantly different confirmation process than their white male colleagues.

Despite being among the most qualified and well-credentialed lawyers of their respective generations, the authors describe how female nominees and nominees of color face more skepticism of their professional competence, are subjected to stereotype-based questioning, are more frequently interrupted and are described in less-positive terms by senators.

In addition to revealing the disturbing extent to which race and gender bias exist even at the highest echelon of U.S. legal power, the book also provides concrete suggestions for how that bias can be reduced in the future.

“’Supreme Bias’ is an important book,” says Jennifer Bowie, associate professor of political science at the University of Richmond. “The research is vital, timely, and innovative as it is the first book to comprehensively focus on gender and racial biases during the Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearings. Collins, Ringhand and Boyd present novel qualitative and quantitative data and find that female nominees and nominees of color face very different confirmation hearings than white male nominees. The work is theoretically rich, and the scope and depth of the book is remarkable. In short, ‘Supreme Bias’ will transform how scholars study Supreme Court confirmation hearings.”

“Supreme Bias” is available for purchase directly from Stanford University Press and from booksellers everywhere.