Computational analysis of 140 years of US political speeches reveals more positive but increasingly polarized framing of immigration

Article Political Science

The Nature of Affective Polarization: Disentangling Policy Disagreement from Partisan Identity

Nicholas Dias et al.

Summary: Scholars debate whether policy disagreement or partisan identity drives interparty animus. This study disentangles the effects of policy disagreement and partisan identity on interpersonal affect through a nationally representative survey and four preregistered experiments. The findings suggest that partisan identity is the principal mechanism of affective polarization, with policy preferences largely signaling partisan identity.

AMERICAN JOURNAL OF POLITICAL SCIENCE (2022)

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Article Multidisciplinary Sciences

The nonlinear feedback dynamics of asymmetric political polarization

Naomi Ehrich Leonard et al.

Summary: The study shows that the key mechanism driving elite polarization in the United States is the self-reinforcing nature of elite-level processes, which accelerates polarization between Republicans and Democrats. Additionally, the research found that subtle differences in the frequency and amplitude of shifts in public opinion can lead to polarization processes at different speeds.

PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA (2021)

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Article Multidisciplinary Sciences

Preventing extreme polarization of political attitudes

Robert Axelrod et al.

Summary: Extreme polarization can undermine democracy by making compromise impossible. The study explores the effects of different factors on polarization and suggests strategies for preventing or slowing its development. The strong ideological polarization among elites may have a potential impact on the general public, highlighting the need for caution and intervention.

PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA (2021)

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Article Multidisciplinary Sciences

Inequality, identity, and partisanship: How redistribution can stem the tide of mass polarization

Alexander J. Stewart et al.

Summary: Research indicates that economic hardship, social inequality, intergroup and racial conflict contribute to affective polarization. Partisan animosities are intensified when interests and identities align with party cleavages. Wealth redistribution through the provision of public goods can counteract this dynamic and curb the rise of polarization.

PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA (2021)

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Article Economics

Intergenerational Mobility of Immigrants in the United States over Two Centuries

Ran Abramitzky et al.

Summary: Research shows that children of immigrants from almost every sending country have higher rates of upward mobility than children of the US-born. Immigrants achieve this advantage by settling in locations that offer better prospects for their children.

AMERICAN ECONOMIC REVIEW (2021)

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Article Criminology & Penology