The Politics of Polarized Places

Author:

Warner, Seth

Graduate Program:

Political Science

Degree:

Doctor of Philosophy

Document Type:

Dissertation

Date of Defense:

June 26, 2023

Committee Members:

Michael J Nelson, Professor in Charge/Director of Graduate Studies
Eric Plutzer, Chair & Dissertation Advisor
Ray Block, Major Field Member
Daniel DellaPosta, Outside Unit & Field Member
Suzanna Linn, Major Field Member

Keywords:

US politics
political behavior
polarization
partisanship
public opinion
protest
Congress
local politics

Abstract:

Over the past 40 years, partisans in the United States have grown increasingly disdainful of members of the other party, a phenomenon that has been described as “affective polarization.” The Politics of Polarized Places argues that the effects of such attitudes may not be limited to just those people who are polarized, and that living in a polarized context—or representing a polarized polity—can have important ramifications for democracy. The dissertation begins by presenting an original dataset of levels of polarization in 6,600 cities and towns across the United States. While some are defined by searing animosities, others are home to residents with “live and let live” attitudes. An analysis of this variation shows that older, politically homogenous, and suburban and exurban locations experience more polarization than others. The chapters that follow highlight the effects of polarized contexts. People who live in highly polarized communities are more likely to take to the streets in protest than others, a result that clarifies previous findings tying partisanship to protest. Then, Members of Congress with more polarized supporters are more likely to engage in “red meat rhetoric” – a combination of appeals to group differences, morality, and victimhood – than those who represent lower-intensity districts. Methodologically pluralistic, with analyses drawing on qualitative case studies, text-data classification, and subnational opinion estimation, The Politics of Polarized Places expands our understanding of affective polarization in American politics, illustrating how its impact is seen across the political system.