How to study democratic backsliding

Political Psychology, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 45(S1), P. 3 - 42

Published: Dec. 1, 2023

Abstract The twenty‐first century has been one of democratic backsliding. This stimulated wide‐ranging scholarship on the causes erosion. Yet an overarching framework that identifies actors, behaviors, and decision processes not developed. I offer such a structure includes elites (e.g., elected officials, judiciary), societal actors social movements, interest groups, media), citizens. discuss erosive threats stemming from each actor concomitant role psychological mechanisms. highlights challenge arriving at holistic explanation erosion within given country during finite period. It also accentuates why scholars should regularly consider implications their specific findings for stability. conclude by discussing various lessons suggestions how to study

Language: Английский

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The Power of Trump’s Big Lie: Identity Fusion, Internalizing Misinformation, and Support for Trump

PS Political Science & Politics, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown, P. 1 - 6

Published: Jan. 13, 2025

ABSTRACT Former president Trump has maintained broad support despite falsely contending that he was the victim of electoral fraud, also known as “big lie.” We consider both antecedents this phenomenon and its consequences. propose supporters’ already established deep personal alignment— identity fusion —with their leader predisposed them to believe lie. Accepting it then set foundation for other identity-protecting beliefs attitudes. Using a three-wave panel supporters, we found more fused they were before 2020 election, stronger belief in big lie grew between 2021 2024. helped solidify with had consequences related Belief predicted downplaying criminal charges against supporting his antidemocratic policy agenda. Fueled by fueling further fusion, is primary component larger narrative emboldens justifies behavior.

Language: Английский

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Beyond the Trump Presidency: The Racial Underpinnings of White Americans’ Anti-Democratic Beliefs

The Journal of Race Ethnicity and Politics, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown, P. 1 - 26

Published: Feb. 3, 2025

Abstract How closely related are modern anti-democratic beliefs among white Americans, and to what extent these shaped by exclusionary racial attitudes? Using data from the Political Unrest Study, Collaborative Multiracial Post-Election Survey (CMPS), Democracy Fund + UCLA Nationscape, of Performance American Elections (SPAE), we find that support for voting restrictions, opposition expansions, belief in widespread voter fraud, overturning democratic election results load onto a single underlying dimension. While prevalence Americans has remained stable over past decade, have become increasingly interconnected. Furthermore, attitudes towards out-groups—including resentment, anti-immigrant sentiment, grievance—strongly correlate with beliefs, whereas in-group do not. Analysis multiple waves National Election Studies (ANES) reveals resentment grievance now explain twice as much variation they did 2012. Experimental evidence also demonstrates react negatively expansions when implications reforms made explicit. These findings underscore growing alignment between contemporary U.S. politics.

Language: Английский

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Silent Voices or More than a Feeling? January 6th Insurrection and Racialized (Non)Attitudes

The Journal of Race Ethnicity and Politics, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown, P. 1 - 22

Published: Feb. 20, 2025

Abstract When do survey respondents choose to withhold feelings on questions related polarizing and democratically important events such as the January 6th insurrection? While extant research has shown that “don’t know” responses or skipped in function a way avoid expressing socially undesirable opinion feeling, no work explored how nonresponses may be impacting our understanding of American public’s support for insurrection. Through analysis nonresponse answers within 2022 Health Democracy Survey, we show persistent pattern item was present among all racial groups asked provide their toward insurrectionists, women were significantly more likely refuse sharing feelings—warm cold. Additionally, find although racialized previously linked with insurrection (racial resentment, affect, white replacement theory) not nonresponse, attitudes did hold an relationship Non-Whites. Our results therefore highlight importance intersection race gender conversations about democratic norms, attitudes, withholding views highly politicized events.

Language: Английский

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Norm-violating rhetoric undermines support for participatory inclusiveness and political equality among Trump supporters

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 120(40)

Published: Sept. 25, 2023

Over the last decade, United States has seen increasing antidemocratic rhetoric by political leaders. Yet, prior work suggests that such norm-violating does not undermine support for democracy as a system of government. We argue that, while may be true, vitiate specific democratic principles. test this theory extending to assess effects Trump’s on general well principles participatory inclusiveness, contestation, rule law, and equality. find alter attitudes toward preferred but reduce inclusiveness equality among his supporters. Our findings suggest elite can basic American democracy.

Language: Английский

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Illusory interparty disagreement: Partisans agree on what hate speech to censor but do not know it

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 121(39)

Published: Sept. 16, 2024

Whether and when to censor hate speech are long-standing points of contention in the US. The latest iteration these debates entails grappling with content regulation on social media an age intense partisan polarization. But do partisans disagree about what types or they merely differ how much censor? And understand out-party censorship preferences? We examine questions a nationally representative conjoint survey experiment (participant N = 3,357; decision 40,284). find that, although Democrats support more than Republicans, generally agree most deserving terms speech’s target, source, severity. Despite this substantial cross-party agreement, mistakenly believe that members other party prioritize protecting different targets speech. For example, major disconnect between two parties is overestimate Republicans underestimate party’s willingness targeting Whites. conclude differences censoring largely based free values misperceptions rather identity-based divisions.

Language: Английский

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Social Media and Digital Politics

Published: Aug. 19, 2024

Informed by critical theory, this book employs Social Network Analysis (SNA) to examine the ever-increasing impact that social media has on politics and contemporary civic discourse. In just past decade, platforms have been at forefront of political discord played out in January 6th insurrection, expulsion a US President from major platforms, attempted regulation various states, takeover Twitter (now "X") one richest (arguably) most financially influential persons world. This examines these phenomena through comprehensive in-depth exploration their meaning implication for democratic society. SNA, James Jaehoon Lee Jeffrey Layne Blevins several types commentary networks argue use emotional appeals posts about topics degrades quality discourse encourages abandonment reasoning self-governance. A timely vital text upper-level students scholars variety disciplines communication studies, journalism, digital humanities network analysis, science, sociology. The Open Access version book, available https://www.taylorfrancis.com, made under Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives (CC-BY-NC-ND) 4.0 license.

Language: Английский

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