Virtual Criminology Colloquium Series: Justice Tankebe

RETHINKING THE PROBLEM OF LEGITIMACY IN POLICING
 
Legitimacy has been the focus of intensive research in recent years. However, much of that research is based on a rigid view of legitimacy, limiting its analytical utility. I argue that legitimacy can best be understood as a ceaseless process of identifying, negotiating, and responding to legitimation expectations or demands. This culturally-flexible approach to legitimacy allows us to think more clearly about its implications for institutional design and reform.