Janus Democracy
(December 2018)
Transconsistency and the General Will Richard T. Longoria - Author
Explores the contradictory nature of public opinion.
Combining political philosophy with a study of political behavior, Richard T. Longoria examines the contradictory nature of public opinion on policy issues. He argues that public opinion is often characterized by dialetheial paradoxes—when a statement and the contradiction of that statement are both held to be true. For example, a voter may express a desire for a ba...(Read More)
Indicates how the rightward shift in the ideology of House Republicans has been mistaken for a broader “polarization” of both parties as well as voters.
There is a widespread belief that American politics is becoming more polarized, in the sense that the Republican Party and electorate are becoming more conservative while the Democratic Party and electorate are becoming more liberal. But is this truly the ca...(Read More)
Sound-Bite Saboteurs
(March 2010)
Public Discourse, Education, and the State of Democratic Deliberation Julie Drew - Author William Lyons - Author Lance Svehla - Author
Argues that the reliance on sound bites in recent political discourse is harmful to the democratic process.
Sound-Bite Saboteurs examines the emergence of a multifaceted, multimedia culture that encourages the use of sound bites to silence one’s opponents at the expense of democratic deliberation and debate. No simple partisan phenomenon or mere attempt to “spin” a particular issue, sou...(Read More)
Examines the complex relationship between American public opinion and the U.S. Supreme Court.
Public Opinion and the Rehnquist Court offers the most thorough evidence yet in favor of the U.S. Supreme Court representing public opinion. Thomas R. Marshall analyzes more than two thousand nationwide public opinion polls during the Rehnquist Court era and argues that a clear majority of Supreme Court decisions...(Read More)
The Public Side of Representation
(August 2007)
A Study of Citizens' Views about Representatives and the Representative Process Christopher J. Grill - Author
Examines how ordinary citizens view the representative process in Congress.
Representation lies at the very heart of our political system, yet few attempts have been made to examine citizens’ views about the representative process. The Public Side of Representation fills that void. Through a series of in-depth interviews, Christopher J. Grill explores people’s abstract beliefs about representati...(Read More)
Examines how public opinion has influenced health care policy.
Using health care policy to develop a theory of how public opinion influences public policy outcomes, Richard E. Chard draws on data ranging from presidential approval ratings to polls conducted during the debate over the Health Security Act. Over the last five decades the relationship has been a complex one, yet there are clear indications that health car...(Read More)
For Better or Worse?
(March 2004)
How Political Consultants are Changing Elections in the United States David A. Dulio - Author
Investigates the effects of political consultants on American democracy.
For Better or Worse? offers a fresh look at how professional campaign consultants have both positive and negative effects on democracy in the United States. Questioning much of the prevailing conventional wisdom, David A. Dulio employs a unique set of data that empirically examines consultants' own attitudes and beliefs to evaluate where they st...(Read More)
Polls and Politics
(March 2004)
The Dilemmas of Democracy Michael A. Genovese - Editor Matthew J. Streb - Editor
A provocative examination of the use and abuse of public opinion polls.
This hard-hitting and engaging examination of polls and American politics asks an essential question: do polls contribute to the vitality of our democracy or are they undermining the health of our political system? Leading scholars address several key issues such as how various types of polls affect democracy, the meaning attributed to polling dat...(Read More)
Ross for Boss
(February 2001)
The Perot Phenomenon and Beyond Ted G. Jelen - Editor
Presents an empirical study of Perot's 1992 and 1996 presidential campaigns and the implications for third-party politics in the United States.
Ross for Boss provides insights into the sources, continuity, and enduring importance of Ross Perot's presidential candidacies in 1992 and 1996 as a member of the Reform Party, and evaluates the impact of the Perot phenomenon on the future of both public policy and ...(Read More)
The Sometime Connection
(September 1999)
Public Opinion and Social Policy Elaine B. Sharp - Author
CHOICE 2000 Outstanding Academic Book Explores the role that public opinion plays in the development of social policy in the United States.
The Sometime Connection introduces a variety of theoretical perspectives on the connection between public opinion and policy and applies them to six social policy topics: abortion, affirmative action, welfare, Social Security, corrections, and pornography. The book provides comple...(Read More)
