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Parties and Ideologies in American Politics

Fri, August 31, 2:00 to 3:30pm, Marriott, Dartmouth

Session Submission Type: Full Paper Panel

Session Description

The dominant "master theory" among American political scientists over the past few decades views the behavior of individuals and groups, including political parties, as the result of individuals acting on the basis of ideal preference points. These preference points are conceived of as existing, and moving within, a static, ideological spatial spectrum. This theory has been frequently used, in particular, in explaining party polarization and gridlock in American politics. While a useful theoretical framework for explaining a host of political phenomena, political scientists have, in recent years, begun to identify some of the limitations of this approach. The papers on this panel challenge this "master theory" and explore the complex relationships between parties and ideologies in American politics.

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