Despite a vast literature concerning nominations to the U.S. Supreme Court, methodologically sophisticated approaches to the topic are a recent phenomenon. In fact, a fully developed, conceptually precise model of the confirmation process--based upon the literature--does not exist. This dissertation constructs and empirically tests such a model. In constructing the model, I address the key considerations encountered in the literature and focus specifically upon three empirical analyses of the population of nominations (Scigliano, 1971; Palmer, 1983; and Segal, 1987). The model is explicated and then tested via logistic regression analysis. / Analyses of the model show the nature of particular vacancies occurring on the Court play a crucial role in the Senatorial decision. This finding is critical in that the literature has only indirectly noted the importance of the particular kinds of vacancies and has, as a result of this neglect, failed to appreciate a host of theoretically sound and empirically testable hypotheses. The analysis further suggests the characteristics of nominees play a larger role in the confirmation process than previous research has suggested. / The model, however, does not merely 'sum-up' the literature. It both clarifies and synthesizes while providing a parsimonious, yet richly descriptive and plausible explanation of a highly complex process. This clarification and synthesis results in improved measures for variables of interest in previous literature (related to Presidential power and Senatorial disposition to confirm or reject) and important variables previously ignored in empirical analysis (related to characteristics of the nominees, the vacancies in question, and the political context of nominations). / Above all, the model (in conceptualization and result) calls for future analyses of the process to be conducted more in terms of an actual process (with dynamic qualities) contra terms depicting a mere outcome of rejection or confirmation by the Senate. The analyses pave the way for future research by providing a clear conceptual environment which may be integrated with the literature for future hypotheses testing. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 52-03, Section: A, page: 1067. / Major Professor: Burton Atkins. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1991.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:fsu.edu/oai:fsu.digital.flvc.org:fsu_76365 |
| Contributors | Ruckman, Peter Sturges, Jr., Florida State University |
| Source Sets | Florida State University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text |
| Format | 197 p. |
| Rights | On campus use only. |
| Relation | Dissertation Abstracts International |
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