Legal Opportunity Structures and Social Movements - The Effects of Institutional Change on Costa Rican Politics

Abstract

How does institutional change in established democracies affect the distributionof political power in society? The new constitutional court in Costa Ricaallows the authors to analyze the effects of judicial reform on the capacity ofpolitically marginalized groups to safeguard their constitutional rights. Particularattention is paid to homosexuals, AIDS patients, and labor unions.