Mistrust

The chapter investigates the dynamics of trust and mistrust among legal professionals in the Argentine justice system, aligning with anthropological studies on state bureaucracy. Interdisciplinary studies and theories on trust and mistrust are presented initially, followed by a discussion of the current state of research and reflections on the methodological implications of dealing with mistrust. Subsequently, the chapter traces the debates on trust and mistrust within Argentine society and explores how legal professionals perceive and respond to these issues. The chapter then delves into suspicious practices within the judiciary, revealing widespread and multifaceted mistrust among legal professionals. They value mistrust as vigilance, foresight, or a defense mechanism against potential manipulation and societal deceit, essential for navigating social complexities. This chapter enriches ethnographic work by contextualizing global discourses on trust and mistrust within local realities, challenging prevailing assumptions about mistrust in legal contexts. It emphasizes the historical, social, political and cultural roots of Argentina's culture of mistrust while rejecting simplistic explanations.