Partisan Hostility and American Democracy: Explaining Political Divisions and When They Matter

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James N. Druckman Samara Klar

Partisan Hostility and American Democracy

Explaining Political Divisions and When They Matter

James N. Druckman, Samara Klar, Yanna Krupnikov , Matthew Levendusky

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Hardback

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English

University of Chicago Press
12 June 2024

Liberalism & centre democratic ideologies; Conservatism & right-of-centre democratic ideologies; Political structures: democracy; Political parties

Series: Chicago Studies in American Politics

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.

By: James N. Druckman, Samara Klar, Yanna Krupnikov, Matthew Levendusky, John Barry Ryan
Imprint: University of Chicago Press
Country of Publication: United States
Dimensions: Height: 229mm, Width: 152mm, Spine: 23mm
Weight: 481g
ISBN: 9780226833651
ISBN 10: 0226833658
Series: Chicago Studies in American Politics
Pages: 272
Publication Date: 12 June 2024
Audience: Professional and scholarly , Undergraduate
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active

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

Reviews for Partisan Hostility and American Democracy: Explaining Political Divisions and When They Matter

“Timely and rich, this is the best book yet written on partisan animosity in the United States. Harnessing impressive data, the authors convincingly show the powerful role of elected officials in magnifying tensions in the citizenry.” -- Sean J. Westwood | Dartmouth College “Although there's been extensive documentation of the existence of partisan animosity and affective polarization, there's been little research attempting to understand whether this behavior affects democratic governance. Through extensive data collection and rigorous research design, the authors show that partisan animosity won't lead to immediate democratic collapse but instead can lead to long-term erosion of norms.” -- Neil Malhotra | Stanford University