| Diverging Parties: Social Change, Realignment, and Party Polarization Contributor(s): Stonecash, Jeffrey M. (Author), Brewer, Mark D. (Author), Mariani, Mack (Author) |
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ISBN: 0813398436 ISBN-13: 9780813398433 Publisher: Routledge OUR PRICE: $47.45 Product Type: Paperback - Other Formats Published: August 2002 Annotation: Explores how redistricting, demographic shifts, and political polarization are impacting legislation and voting behavior in the US Congress Diverging Parties explains the emergence of party polarization by focusing on how the constituencies of House districts affect partisan outcomes and the subsequent voting behavior of House members. The origins of polarization lie in the realignment of the electoral bases of the parties, and the shifting demographic composition of America. Realignment has resulted in Democrats representing urban, lower-income, heavily non-white districts, while Republicans are more likely to come from suburban-rural, more affluent, white districts. Perhaps most important, the percentage of districts with a substantial proportion of non-whites is steadily increasing in the United States. This analysis focuses primarily on changes since the 1960s. |
| Additional Information |
| BISAC Categories: - Political Science | American Government - Legislative Branch |
| Dewey: 328.730 |
| LCCN: 2002003739 |
| Series: Transforming American Politics |
| Physical Information: 0.44" H x 6" W x 9" (0.63 lbs) 206 pages |
| Descriptions, Reviews, Etc. |
| Publisher Description: Party polarization in the House of Representatives has increased recently. Explaining this development has been difficult given current interpretations of American elections. The dominant framework for interpreting elections has been to see them as candidate-centered or individualistic. This book explains the emergence of party polarization by focusing on how the constituencies of House districts affect partisan outcomes and the subsequent voting behavior of House members. The analysis is premised on the simple argument that members are elected from districts, and an explanation of polarization must begin with districts. The origins of polarization lie in the realignment of the electoral bases of the parties, and the shifting demographic composition of America. The analysis will focus primarily on changes since the 1960s. |