LEGITIMATION AND INSTITUTIONS – REVISITING BERGER AND LUCKMANN
LEGITIMATION AND INSTITUTIONS – REVISITING BERGER AND LUCKMANN

Summary/Abstract: When it comes to legitimation and institutional structure, Berger and Luckmann's work remains relevant today despite its age. This paper is an attempt to explore what seems to be an unjustly underutilized approach – institutional analysis through legitimation. The first part presents the concept of legitimation and the role it plays in the construction and maintenance of institutions based on the book The Social Construction of Reality. The article argues that institutional analysis through legitimation provides us with knowledge of institutional structure and position as seen by members of society, hence bridging the gap between formal and informal institutions. In the second part, the main ideas are explored as a basis for research and cluster analysis, and a coherent theoretical and methodological approach is suggested.

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