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On the Expressive Function of Law
Abstract
If I had known that not a single lunch counter would open as a result of my action I could not have done differently than I did. If I had known violence would result, I could not have done differently than I did. I am thankful for the sit-ins iffor no other reason than that they provided me with an opportunity for making a slogan into a reality, by turning a decision into an action. It seems to me that this is what life is all about.
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“Law both reflects and reshapes society, acting as a moral and cultural signifier to shape and change social norms (see Sunstein 1996, 1999).”
From Collapsing the Boundaries Between De Jure and De Facto Slavery: The Foundations of Slavery Beyond the Transatlantic Frame (2020) · cites this paper as Sunstein 1996
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“Given law's acknowledged power to create and reinforce values through opinions such as this one (see, eg, Sunstein, 1996 ; Tyler, 2006 ; Tyler & Jost, 2008 ), it is no surprise that colorblindness has taken such a hold, becoming the dominant diversity ideology, particularly among members majority status racial groups.”
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“95 See supra n. 73, as well as Sunstein (1996) (exploring ‘the expressive function of law – the function of law in “making statements” as opposed to controlling behaviour directly’, and particularly ‘how legal “statements” might be designed to change social norms’).”
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18 Building a Better Judiciary
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9 Publicity and Accepted Standards
Brennan, G., & Pettit, P. N. (2004) · doi:10.1093/0199246483.003.0010
1 The Nature and Attraction of Esteem
Brennan, G., & Pettit, P. N. (2004) · doi:10.1093/0199246483.003.0002
15 Mobilising the Intangible Hand
Brennan, G., & Pettit, P. N. (2004) · doi:10.1093/0199246483.003.0016
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Brennan, G., & Pettit, P. N. (2004) · doi:10.1093/0199246483.003.0011
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Basu, K. (2000) · doi:10.1093/0198296711.003.0004
13 The Intangible Hand in Profile
Brennan, G., & Pettit, P. N. (2004) · doi:10.1093/0199246483.003.0014
Basu, K. (2000) · doi:10.1093/0198296711.003.0007
6 A More Complex Equilibrium in Performance
Brennan, G., & Pettit, P. N. (2004) · doi:10.1093/0199246483.003.0007
Metadata
- Authors
- Sunstein, C. R.
- Corresponding author
- Sunstein, Cass R.
- ORCID
- Sunstein, Cass R.
- Venue
- University of Pennsylvania Law Review
- Publisher
- JSTOR
- Published
- 1996-05
- Volume
- 144
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 2021
- ISSN
- 0041-9907 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W3123783531
- Cited by
- 795
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 57 · 2025: 44 · 2024: 46 · 2023: 33 · 2022: 42 · 2021: 50 · 2020: 32 · 2019: 102 · 2018: 67 · 2017: 40 · 2016: 27 · 2015: 25 · 2014: 23 · 2013: 27 · 2012: 22
- FWCI
- 8.26
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- University of Pennsylvania Law Review (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Law › Law, Rights, and Freedoms
- Social Sciences › Law › Law in Society and Culture
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Race, History, and American Society
- Keywords
- expressive function, civil disobedience, sit-ins, freedom of expression, protest, law and morality, Martin Luther King Jr., civil rights movement
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