Legitimacy Beyond the State Workshop

This workshop aims to advance philosophical research on legitimacy as a normative (as opposed to merely sociological) concept. Philosophers have traditionally applied the concept of legitimacy exclusively to political states, often with special attention to the close relation between states and coercive power. But non-profit organizations, international corporations, interest groups, and other social institutions also wield great power of various kinds over many people. This workshop features presentations by various researchers that explore philosophical issues related to whether social arrangements like these can be legitimate as well.