Renowned political scientist James L. Gibson to speak at FSU on sociological legitimacy

Florida State University’s Department of Political Science will present a talk by James L. Gibson, titled “Legitimacy: The Theory of the Century” on Tuesday, Oct. 13.

Drawing on decades of research, Gibson will explain the theory of sociological legitimacy and its application across the social sciences. He will present evidence on how institutions can lose legitimacy, particularly during periods of democratic backsliding.

The lecture is free and open to the public and takes place:

TUESDAY, OCT. 13, 2026

3:30 P.M. TALK

4:30 P.M. RECEPTION

BETH MOOR LOUNGE (LONGMIRE BUILDING)

125 CONVOCATION WAY

TALLAHASSEE, FL

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.

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 (APSA) for his contributions to the study of elections, public opinion and voting behavior.

The Department of Political Science is housed within Florida State University’s College of Social Sciences and Public Policy (COSSPP). With roughly 1,300 majors, the department is home to one-third of COSSPP’s undergraduate students and is consistently recognized for the research productivity and influence of its faculty. Its Ph.D. program attracts doctoral students from around the world, and its Applied Politics & Policy Learning Experience (APPLE) program — the only one of its kind in the country — gives undergraduates hands-on political experience in the Florida Legislature and in Washington, D.C.