Honors Theses
Date of Award
Spring 5-9-2026
Document Type
Undergraduate Thesis
Department
Political Science
First Advisor
Andrew Stone
Second Advisor
Jonathan Klingler
Third Advisor
Roun McNeal
Relational Format
Dissertation/Thesis
Abstract
In 2023, the Supreme Court ruled affirmative action in higher education unconstitutional, intensifying debates over the role of identity in selection processes. This study extends that discussion beyond college admissions to the federal judicial confirmation process. It uses a content analysis of Senate Judiciary Committee hearing transcripts to examine how U.S. senators frame the identities of judicial nominees, and a nationally representative survey to assess how senators’ identity framing shapes public opinion. I find that both Democratic and Republican senators engage in identity framing to signal alignment with their respective constituencies. Public responses to this rhetoric are substantially filtered through partisan loyalty and broader party attitudes toward diversity, equity, and inclusion. Through this, debates over affirmative action are not strictly about whether identity matters, but more so how it is framed in selection processes.
Recommended Citation
Hunter, Edward W. Jr., "Judicial Confirmation Politics: Senatorial Framing and the Public's Response" (2026). Honors Theses. 3500.
https://egrove.olemiss.edu/hon_thesis/3500
Creative Commons License
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