Power to the People: Topic Modeling and Democratic Party Platforms 1840-2016

• In Event: 444 - Section on Political Sociology Refereed Roundtable Session and Business Meeting
  In Refereed Roundtable 60min: Table 12. Political Parties in Power and Under Attack

Abstract

Electoral party platforms provide a vehicle for political parties to craft a formal vision for and assessment of the nation. In doing so, platforms make explicit a given party’s position on a range of issues it deems as central to its identity and to the well-being of the country. This paper uses new developments in topic modeling to explore the evolution of the Democratic Party platforms from their inception in 1840 to the most recent 2016 incarnation. In doing so, it offers insights into the party’s efforts to narrate its story about the country and its own identity across the 176 year history of the platforms.

Author

• Scott Appelrouth, California State University, Northridge