Partisan Hostility and American Democracy: Explaining Political Divisions and When They Matter (Chicago Studies in American Politics)

Druckman, James N.; Klar, Samara; Krupnikov, Yanna; Levendusky, Matthew; Ryan, John Barry

ISBN 10: 0226833674 / ISBN 13: 9780226833675

Published by University of Chicago Press (edition First Edition), 2024

It's a well-cared-for item that has seen limited use. The item may show minor signs of wear. All the text is legible, with all pages included. It may have slight markings and/or highlighting. Seller Inventory # 0226833674-8-1

Synopsis:

An unflinching examination of the effects and boundaries of partisan animosity.

For generations, experts argued that American politics needed cohesive parties to function effectively. Now many fear that strong partisan views, particularly hostility to the opposing party, are damaging democracy. Is partisanship as dangerous as we fear it is?

To provide an answer, this book offers a nuanced evaluation of when and how partisan animosity matters in today’s highly charged, dynamic political environment, drawing on panel data from some of the most tumultuous years in recent American history, 2019 through 2021. The authors show that partisanship powerfully shapes political behaviors, but its effects are conditional, not constant. Instead, it is most powerful when politicians send clear signals and when an issue is unlikely to bring direct personal consequences. In the absence of these conditions, other factors often dominate decision-making.

The authors argue that while partisan hostility has degraded US politics—for example, politicizing previously non-political issues and undermining compromise—it is not in itself an existential threat. As their research shows, the future of American democracy depends on how politicians, more than ordinary voters, behave.

About the Authors: James N. Druckman is professor of political science at the University of Rochester.

Samara Klar is professor of political science at the University of Arizona.

Yanna Krupnikov is professor of communication and media at the University of Michigan.

Matthew Levendusky is professor of political science at the University of Pennsylvania, where he also holds the Stephen and Mary Baran Chair in the Institutions of Democracy at the Annenberg Public Policy Center. His books include The Partisan Sort and How Partisan Media Polarize America. He is also the coauthor of We Need to Talk (with Dominik Stecula) and Democracy Amid Crises (Annenberg IOD Collaborative). 

John Barry Ryan is associate professor in the Department of Communication and Media and the Department of Political Science at the University of Michigan.

Bibliographic Details

Title: Partisan Hostility and American Democracy: ...
Publisher: University of Chicago Press (edition First Edition)
Publication Date: 2024
Binding: Paperback
Condition: Very Good
Edition: First Edition.