Legitimacy: The Theory of the Century
FSU's Department of Political Science presents a talk by James L. Gibson, Ph.D., titled "Legitimacy: The Theory of the Century" on Tuesday, October 13, at 3:30 p.m., with a 4:30 p.m. reception in the Beth Moore Lounge (Longmire Building). The concept of “legitimacy” has long been central to the social sciences. Broadly, legitimacy describes the willingness of people to recognize the rightful authority of political, legal, economic, and social institutions. Drawing on decades of research, Dr. Gibson will explain the theory of sociological legitimacy and its application across the social sciences. He will present evidence on the legitimacy of the U.S. Supreme Court amid recent challenges to the Court and consider how institutions can lose legitimacy, particularly during periods of democratic backsliding. James L. Gibson joined Florida State University this fall as Provost’s Research Professor of Political Science. For more than four decades, his research has examined democratic legitimacy, political tolerance, and public support for political and legal institutions. He is the author or co-author of more than 100 scholarly articles and several books, including Democracy’s Destruction? (2024) and Black and Blue (2018). In 2026, he received the Warren E. Miller Award from the American Political Science Association for his contributions to the study of elections, public opinion, and voting behavior.
Date & timeTuesday, October 13, 2026 · 3:30 PM
LocationBeth Moore Lounge (Longmire Building)
OrganizerCampus organization
SourceFSU Events CalendarOpen source ↗
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Legitimacy: The Theory of the Century
FSU's Department of Political Science presents a talk by James L. Gibson, Ph.D., titled "Legitimacy: The Theory of the Century" on Tuesday, October 13, at 3:30 p.m., with a 4:30 p.m. reception in the Beth Moore Lounge (Longmire Building). The concept of “legitimacy” has long been central to the social sciences. Broadly, legitimacy describes the willingness of people to recognize the rightful authority of political, legal, economic, and social institutions. Drawing on decades of research, Dr. Gibson will explain the theory of sociological legitimacy and its application across the social sciences. He will present evidence on the legitimacy of the U.S. Supreme Court amid recent challenges to the Court and consider how institutions can lose legitimacy, particularly during periods of democratic backsliding. James L. Gibson joined Florida State University this fall as Provost’s Research Professor of Political Science. For more than four decades, his research has examined democratic legitimacy, political tolerance, and public support for political and legal institutions. He is the author or co-author of more than 100 scholarly articles and several books, including Democracy’s Destruction? (2024) and Black and Blue (2018). In 2026, he received the Warren E. Miller Award from the American Political Science Association for his contributions to the study of elections, public opinion, and voting behavior.