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Date Permissions Signed

11-25-2014

Date of Award

2014

Document Type

Masters Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

Political Science

First Advisor

Deylami, Shirin

Second Advisor

Chen, Paul

Third Advisor

Salazar, Debra J.

Abstract

This paper presents a novel method for understanding how the Supreme Court constructs identities. Applying Michel Foucault’s concept of governmentality to pivotal Supreme Court decisions which solidified gay identity were analyzed using Bowers v. Hardwick, Romer v. Evans, and Lawrence v. Texas. The results of this investigation show that the Court’s construction of gay identity changed with each case, sculpted by what they perceived at the time as most productive for American society. The work presented here has profound implications for the future study of the Supreme Court and contributes to our understanding of the workings of institutions in the modern world.

Type

Text

DOI

https://doi.org/10.25710/9gfk-7222

Publisher

Western Washington University

OCLC Number

897380016

Subjects – Names (LCNAF)

United States. Supreme Court--Decision making; United States. Supreme Court--Cases

Subject – LCSH

Judicial process--United States--Public opinion; Gays--United States--Identity; Gays--Legal status, laws, etc.--United States

Geographic Coverage

United States

Format

application/pdf

Genre/Form

masters theses

Language

English

Rights

Copying of this document in whole or in part is allowable only for scholarly purposes. It is understood, however, that any copying or publication of this thesis for commercial purposes, or for financial gain, shall not be allowed without the author's written permission.

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