Political Behavior of the American Electorate

by Flanigan, William H.

• ISBN13: 9781604265217
• ISBN10: 1604265213
• Edition: 12th
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2009-12-15
• Publisher: Cq Pr

Summary

Students know that the 2008 elections were a watershed event in American political history. They&BAD:rs"ve read and watched the coverage, but do they have a deep understanding of what happened, beyond YouTube and the talking heads? Do they know why voters cast their ballots the way they did? Flanigan and Zingale continue their thorough and accessible analytical overview of the political behavior of the American voter in this twelfth edition. Delving deeply into the 2008 National Election Study data, the authors explore the impact of innovative mobilization efforts, the effects of the waning war in Iraq and the economic slump on voting choice, and the continuing trends of polarization and partisanship&BAD:-all in a way that is clear and engaging to students. The book&BAD:rs"s updated tables and figures are available electronically and free for adopters, and a brandnew companion website offers datasets and exercises.

Author Biography

William H. Flanigan is professor of political science at the University of Minnesota. He is coeditor of The History of American Electoral Behavior. Nancy H. Zingale is professor of political science and executive assistant to the president at the University of St. Thomas.

Table of Contents

Tables and Figures	p. xi
Acknowledgments	p. xv
Introduction	p. 1
Political Culture and American Democracy	p. 11
Fair, Free, and Competitive Elections	p. 12
Political Culture as a Foundation for Democracy	p. 18
Maintaining a Democracy	p. 33
Notes	p. 36
Suggested Readings	p. 37
Internet Resources	p. 38
Suffrage and Turnout	p. 39
Extensions of Suffrage	p. 39
Restrictions on Suffrage	p. 42
Turnout in American Elections Historically	p. 44
High- and Low-Stimulus Elections	p. 48
Voters and Nonvoters	p. 52
Registration as a Barrier to Voting	p. 56
Is the Level of Turnout in the United States a Cause for Concern?	p. 60
Notes	p. 64
Suggested Readings	p. 65
Internet Resources	p. 66
Partisanship	p. 67
Party Loyalty	p. 67
Party Identification	p. 69
Types of Electoral Change	p. 72
Party Systems and Realignments	p. 75
Are Conditions Right for a Realignment?	p. 83
Notes	p. 86
Suggested Readings	p. 86
Internet Resources	p. 87
Partisans and Partisan Change	p. 89
Voting Behavior	p. 89
Are Independents Apolitical?	p. 95
Partisan Change	p. 99
The Future of Parties and Partisanship	p. 107
Notes	p. 108
Suggested Readings	p. 109
Internet Resources	p. 110
Social Characteristics of Partisans and Independents	p. 111
The Social Composition of Partisan Groups	p. 115
Social Group Analysis	p. 116
Red and Blue States	p. 126
Social Cross-Pressures	p. 129
Notes	p. 132
Suggested Readings	p. 133
Internet Resources	p. 134
Public Opinion and Ideology	p. 135
The Measurement of Public Opinion	p. 137
Domestic Economic Issues	p. 138
Racial Issues	p. 142
Social Issues	p. 148
Homeland Security and Terrorism	p. 153
International Affairs	p. 154
Issues and Partisanship	p. 159
Political Ideology	p. 160
Public Opinion and Political Leadership	p. 166
Notes	p. 168
Suggested Readings	p. 170
Internet Resources	p. 170
Political Communication and the Mass Media	p. 173
Functions of Opinions for Individuals	p. 174
Opinion Consistency and Dissonance	p. 175
Political Communication and Attitude Change	p. 176
Attention to the Media	p. 179
Did Iraq Have Weapons of Mass Destruction?	p. 184
The Media and Presidential Approval Ratings	p. 186
Campaigns	p. 190
Presidential Primary Campaigns	p. 199
Campaign Strategy	p. 202
Notes	p. 204
Suggested Readings	p. 206
Internet Resources	p. 207
Vote Choice and Electoral Decisions	p. 209
Social Characteristics and Presidential Vote Choice	p. 210
Partisanship and Ideology	p. 212
Short-Term Forces	p. 214
Determinants of Vote Choice	p. 226
The Popular Vote and the Electoral College	p. 230
Vote Choice in Other Types of Elections	p. 233
The Meaning of an Election	p. 235
Notes	p. 238
Suggested Readings	p. 239
Internet Resources	p. 239
Survey Research Methods	p. 241
Survey Data Collection	p. 242
Validity of Survey Questions	p. 248
Validity versus Continuity	p. 250
Notes	p. 251
Suggested Readings	p. 251
Internet Resources	p. 252
Index	p. 253
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