Policy change in the Deep South: An analysis of three states

Authors

Rebecca Short, Clemson University
Noe Alexander Aguado, University of North AlabamaFollow
Tim Collins, University of North AlabamaFollow

Document Type

Article

Publication Title

Never Gonna Change? An examination of the 1901 Alabama Constitution

Abstract

This chapter uses Kingdon’s (2003) multiple streams framework (MSF) to explain policy changes that brought home rule to South Carolina, a modern constitution to Georgia, and the Judicial Article in Alabama. Policy change in the Deep South is rare, but it can happen. Short et al. provide a comparative study between three states in the Deep South to illustrate how policy changes can occur in traditionalistic political cultures. In every case, unusual events came together just at the right time. In Alabama and Georgia, ambitious politicians pushed their pet policies to attain policy change. In South Carolina, a confluence of events came together to allow some forms of local-level democracy in the state. Finally, this chapter applies the MSF to the 2022 recompilation of the Alabama Constitution of 1901. The voter-approved recompilation deleted the most racist and embarrassing parts of the document and reorganized it. These changes, though, have left the obstructionist spirit of the 1901 Constitution intact, as the Alabama constitution is still the longest, most statutory state constitution in the United States (McMillan, 1978).

First Page

13

Last Page

32

Publication Date

9-1-2024

Comments

About the Authors

Rebecca Short, Ph. D., is the Director of Operations at the Clemson University Center for Workforce Development. She completed her dissertation at Auburn University and examined the obstacles to constitutional reform in Alabama.

N. Alexander Aguado, Ph.D., is chair of the Department of Politics, Justice, Law, and Philosophy and professor of political science at the University of North Alabama.

J. Tim Collins, Ph.D., is an associate professor of political science at the University of North Alabama.

Recommended Citation

Short, R., Aguado, N.A., & Collins, J.T. (2024). Policy change in the Deep South: An analysis of three states. In N.A. Aguado (Ed.), Never Gonna Change? An examination of the 1901 Alabama Constitution (pp. 13-32). North Alabama Digital Press @ Collier Library.