Legacy and Legitimacy

by Clawson, Rosalee

• ISBN13: 9781592139026
• ISBN10: 1592139027
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2008-12-28
• Publisher: Temple Univ Pr

Summary

Thoroughly grounded in the latest scholarly literature, theoretical sources, and experimental results,Legacy and Legitimacysubstantially advances understanding of Black Americans' attitudes toward the Supreme Court, the Court's ability to influence Blacks' opinions about the legitimacy of public institutions and policies, and the role of media in shaping Blacks' judgments.Drawing on legitimacy theory-which explains the acceptance of or tolerance for controversial policies-the authors begin by re-examining the significance of "diffuse support" in establishing legitimacy. They provide a useful overview of the literature on legitimacy and a concise history of the special relationship between Blacks and the Court. They investigate the influences of group attitudes and media "framing." And they employ data from large-scale surveys to show that Blacks with greater levels of diffuse support for the Court are more likely to adopt positions consistent with Court rulings.With its broad scope and inclusion of new experimental findings,Legacy and Legitimacywill interest students and scholars of judicial politics, racial politics, media and politics, black studies and public opinion.

Author Biography

Rosalee A. Clawson is Associate Professor of Political Science at Purdue University and the co-author of Public Opinion: Democratic Ideals, Democratic Practice.

Eric N. Waltenburg is Associate Professor of Political Science at Purdue University and the author of Choosing Where to Fight: Organized Labor and the Modern Regulatory State, 1948-1987.

Table of Contents

List of Tables

List of Figures

Introduction

Blacks, Civil Rights, and the Supreme Court

Establishing the Supreme Court's Legitimizing Capacity

Different Presses, Different Frames: The Black Versus Mainstream Presses' Coverage of a Supreme Court Decision

The Effect of Media Framing on the Supreme Court's Legitimizing Capacity

The Supreme Court's Legitimizing Capacity Among African Americans: Support for Capital Punishment and Affirmative Action

The Causal Relationship Between Public Opinion Towards the Court and Its Policies: The University of Michigan Affirmative Action Cases

Conclusion

Experimental Stimulus for Legitimacy Experiment

Appendix B

Appendix C

Appendix D

Appendix E

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