Lawyers for conservative and libertarian causes
are active in organizing and mobilizing interest groups within
the conserv-ative coalition, and networks of relationships among
those lawyers help to maintain and shape the coalition. Using
data gathered in interviews with 72 such lawyers, the working
paper analyzes characteristics of the lawyers and the structure
of their networks. The findings suggest that the networks are
divided into segments or blocks that are identified with particular
constituencies, but that a distinct set of actors with an extensive
range of relationships serves to bridge the constituencies. Measures
of centrality and brokerage confirm the structural importance
of these actors in the network, and a search of references in
news media confirms their prominence or prestige. This “core”
set of actors occupies the “structural hole” in the
network that separates the business constituency from religious
conservatives. Libertarians, who are located near the core of
the network, also occupy an intermediate position. Causal analysis
of the formation of ties within the network suggests that the
Federalist Society has played an important role in bringing the
lawyers together.
Anthony Paik, Assistant Professor
of Sociology, University of Iowa
Ann Southworth, Professor of Law, Case Western Reserve
University John P. Heinz, Owen L. Coon Professor
of Law and Professor of Sociology, Northwestern University
Click on
the working paper title at the top of this
page to download a free pdf of the paper.*
If You Need to Order a Hard Copy: Hard copies
of IPR working papers cost $5.00 each (international orders are $10 each). We only accept checks drawn on U.S. bank and payable in U.S. funds. Checks or money orders should be made
payable to Northwestern University and sent to the following address:
Publications Department - WP Orders
Institute for Policy Research
2040 Sheridan Rd., Evanston, IL 60208-4100.
For information, call 847-491-8712 or email ipr@northwestern.edu.
Please note that we do not accept credit cards.
*Adobe Acrobat Reader 5.0 (or higher) is needed to read the Acrobat pdf.
If you need to install Acrobat Reader, click the button below. Once the file
has downloaded onto your desktop, run it to install the reader on your hard
drive.
