This volume explores the various ways in which trust is thought about
and studied in contemporary society. In doing so, it aims to advance
both theoretical and methodological perspectives on trust. Trust is an
important topic in this series because it raises issues of both
motivation and emotion. Specifically, notions of trust and fairness
motivate individuals to behave in a manner they deem appropriate when
responding to governmental authority. On the emotions-related side,
individuals have emotional responses to institutions with authority over
their lives, such as the city government or the Supreme Court, depending
on whether they perceive the institutions as legitimate. The public's
trust and confidence in governmental institutions are frequently claimed
as essential to the functioning of democracy), spawning considerable
research and commentary. For those in the law and social sciences, the
tendency is to focus on the criminal justice system in general and the
courts in particular. However, other public institutions also need trust
and confidence in order not only to promote democracy but also to assure
effective governance, facilitate societal interactions, and optimize
organizational productivity. Not surprisingly, therefore, important
research and commentary is found in literatures that focus on issues
ranging from social sciences to natural resources, from legislatures to
executive branch agencies, from brick and mortar businesses to online
commerce, from health and medicine to schools, from international
development to terrorism, etc. This volume integrates these various
approaches to trust from these disciplines, with the goal of fostering a
truly interdisciplinary dialogue. By virtue of this interdisciplinary
focus, the volume should have broad appeal for researchers and
instructors in a variety of disciplines: psychology, sociology,
political science, criminal justice, social justice practitioners,
economics and other areas.
