This volume investigates the relationship between public perception and the legitimacy of emerging international governance structures in the late twentieth century. The authors, Oskar Niedermayer and Richard Sinnott, utilize extensive survey data to analyze how citizens across various nations perceive the influence and authority of supranational organizations. By examining the intersection of national identity and international integration, the text provides a framework for understanding the challenges faced by institutions like the European Union, the UN, and NATO in securing public support.

Experts identify this work as a foundational text for understanding the early challenges of European integration and public skepticism toward international organizations. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose and the rigorous statistical approach employed by the authors to map political beliefs.