The utility and limitations of the concentric diagram of legitimacy: Commentary on Hamm and Colleagues

Hamm et al.'s (Legal Criminol. Psychol., 27, 2022) concentric diagram of legitimacy has a lot to offer by providing order and structure to a disjointed and sometimes confusing literature. However, enthusiasm for the concentric diagram wanes when considering its potential as a catalyst for the development of an integrated theory of legitimacy. The current renaissance of legitimacy studies owes much to the efforts of scholars in pushing the envelope of this elusive concept by drawing from a broad set of perspectives - both within and outside legitimacy studies - to address an array of research questions. Scholars should engage and leverage this diversity, not curtail it.

Automated summary

Hamm et al.'s concentric diagram of legitimacy provides order to a disjointed literature, but its potential as a catalyst for developing an integrated theory of legitimacy is questioned. The current resurgence of legitimacy studies is owed to scholars drawing from diverse perspectives to address various research questions, and they should further leverage this diversity.