Legitimacy in global governance : sources processes and consequences Legitimacy is central for the capacity of global governance institutions to address problems such as climate change trade protectionism and human rights abuses. However despite legitimacys importance for global governance its workings remain poorly understood. That is the core concern of this volume: to develop an agenda for systematic and comparative research on legitimacy in global governance. In complementary fashion the chapters address different aspects of the overarching question: whether why how and with what consequences global governance institutions gain sustain and lose legitimacy The volume makes four specific contributions. First it argues for a sociological approach to legitimacy centered on perceptions of legitimate global governance among affected audiences. Second it moves beyond the traditional focus on states as the principal audience for legitimacy in global governance and considers a full spectrum of actors from governments to citizens. Third it advocates a comparative approach to the study of legitimacy in global governance and suggests strategies for comparison across institutions issue areas countries societal groups and time. Fourth the volume offers the most comprehensive treatment so far of the sociological legitimacy of global governance covering three broad analytical themes: (1) sources of legitimacy (2) processes of legitimation and delegitimation and (3) consequences of legitimacy.