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Full-Text Articles in Political Science
Partisan Attachment And Conspiracist Predispositions, Robert Stephen Earnest
Partisan Attachment And Conspiracist Predispositions, Robert Stephen Earnest
Bridges: A Journal of Student Research
Conspiracy theories have increasing relevance in American politics. In the age of the internet, where rumors and their associated conspiracy theories are transmitted and received at much higher frequencies than was previously capable, people can be led to believe in ideas that erode their trust in government and its decision makers. This undermines America's capacity for self-governance. In this proposal, I articulate a model that fully explains conspiracist thinking in the context of American politics. I suggest that two domains—partisan attachment and underlying conspiracist predispositions—determine whether an individual will accept or reject a conspiracy theory. To measure the effects of …
Communication And Citizen Participation In Southern Local Politics: A Disconnect Between Municipalities And Constituents, Rachael B. Houston
Communication And Citizen Participation In Southern Local Politics: A Disconnect Between Municipalities And Constituents, Rachael B. Houston
Bridges: A Journal of Student Research
Despite the fact that 96 percent of all political contests in the United States are for local offices, citizens are far more likely to participate in national elections and forgo exercising their voice in local politics. And, although academic literature has focused extensively on citizen participation at the national level, local-level democracy has often been neglected. This neglect may be caused by a lack of interaction between constituencies and city mayors and managers. Without effective communication between both groups, citizens will be unaware of opportunities to affect social and fiscal policies in their communities. Scholars know little about the perceptions …