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Dahlvik, Julia; Pohn-Weidinger, Axel --- "Administering access to the public ombuds institution: a case study on the Austrian Ombudsman Board" [2018] ELECD 1075; in Hertogh, Marc; Kirkham, Richard (eds), "Research Handbook on the Ombudsman" (Edward Elgar Publishing, 2018) 394

Book Title: Research Handbook on the Ombudsman

Editor(s): Hertogh, Marc; Kirkham, Richard

Publisher: Edward Elgar Publishing

ISBN: 9781786431240

Section: Chapter 21

Section Title: Administering access to the public ombuds institution: a case study on the Austrian Ombudsman Board

Author(s): Dahlvik, Julia; Pohn-Weidinger, Axel

Number of pages: 21

Abstract/Description:

In this chapter, we draw on extensive ethnographic research within the Austrian Ombudsman Board to study the role of the institution’s administrative staff. Whereas existing literature has focused on the legal professionals who process complaints, we focus on those professionals who work at the front-line of the institution: secretaries of the ombudspersons and front-desk officials. We focus on the ‘art’ of receiving complain(an)ts and of organizing an encounter with the ombudspersons and show that these front-line officials play a major role in regulating the access to the institution, as they make a first selection of complain(an)ts. The chapter demonstrates how front-line ombuds work influences citizens’ access to administrative justice and more generally how the institution deals with the ‘blurry borders’ of competence.