SOCIETÀ ITALIANA DI DIRITTO ED ECONOMIA
Alessandro Tacconelli (ETH Zurich)
Abstract
Legal systems often navigate contentious issues through various legal frames that define rights and enforce their recognition. A peculiar scenario arises where the recognition of a right coexists with a formal prohibition of the same conduct. We define those legal grey zones as legal limbos.
This research proposal employs an experimental vignette design to explore the social and behavioral impacts of legal limbos. Focusing on contentious issues such as abortion and drug use, we plan to present recruited participants with vignettes where those rights are framed either within a legally clear structure or a legal limbo. Across these conditions, the study examines how legal limbos affect public recognition of a right, public support, perceived social stigma, and individual’s willingness to exercise the right.
By addressing these dynamics, the proposal aims to contribute to the literature on (legal) frames, their impact on behavior, and the expressive function of the law, offering insights into how different forms of legal recognition shape social behaviors and beliefs.