Copyright 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Publishing as Longman Longman PoliticalScienceInteractive Magleby & Light Government by the People Chapter 5 The U.S. Political Landscape

Copyright 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Publishing as Longman “Identity Politics” in the 2008 Presidential Election “Identity politics”: Identification with a particular candidate because of personal attributes –Barack Obama & Blacks –Hillary Clinton & women –Mike Huckabee & evangelical Christians –Mitt Romney & Mormons

Copyright 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Publishing as Longman A Land of Diversity Political Socialization The process by which we develop our political values, beliefs, and attitudes Reinforcing Cleavages Divisions within society that reinforce one another, making groups more homogeneous or similar Cross-Cutting Cleavages Divisions within society that cut across demographic categories to produce groups that are more heterogeneous or different Ethnocentrism Belief in the superiority of one’s nation or ethnic group

Copyright 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Publishing as Longman Geography and National Identity The United States is a geographically large and historically isolated country Western frontier: Room to grow and avoid some social and political tensions - Manifest Destiny: A notion held by nineteenth-century Americans that the United States was destined to rule the continent, from the Atlantic to the Pacific Buffer against foreign attack Abundant natural resources

Copyright 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Publishing as Longman Regional Differences Sectional differences in the United States are primarily geographic, not ethnic or religious The most distinct section of the United States remains the South, although the differences are diminishing

Copyright 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Publishing as Longman Voting Patterns in the 11 Former Confederate States

Copyright 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Publishing as Longman State and Local Identity Reinforced by method of electing the president and members of Congress More than one out of eight Americans is a Californian

Copyright 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Publishing as Longman Where We Live: Percent Change in Resident Population, Four out of five Americans now live in central cities and their suburbs

Copyright 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Publishing as Longman Where We Live: Cities That Are at Least 50 Percent African American (2006)

Copyright 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Publishing as Longman Who We Are: Race and Ethnicity Race A grouping of human beings with distinctive characteristics determined by genetic inheritance Ethnicity A social division based on national origin, religion, language, and often race African Americans Hispanics (Latinos) Asian Americans Native Americans

Copyright 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Publishing as Longman Who We Are: African Americans Most African Americans came to this country against their will Most continue to be more vulnerable economically than whites Most have lower educational levels than whites Little political power until after WWII Historic victory of Barack Obama in 2008

Copyright 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Publishing as Longman Who We Are: Race and Ethnicity Median Net Worth of Households in the U.S. by Race, 2000

Copyright 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Publishing as Longman Who We Are: Race and Ethnicity Changing Racial Composition of the U.S. Polity,

Copyright 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Publishing as Longman Who We Are: Religion

Copyright 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Publishing as Longman Who We Are: Religion Constitution –Separation of church and state –Protection of religious freedom Still, America is a very religious country, and religion has had a large influence on politics Fundamentalists: Conservative Christians who as a group have become more active in politics in the last two decades, and were especially influential in the 2000 and 2004 presidential elections

Copyright 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Publishing as Longman Who We Are: Gender Gender and the Vote for President, 2008 Gender gap: The difference between the political opinions or political behavior of men and of women

Copyright 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Publishing as Longman Who We Are: Sexual Orientation Homosexuals comprise 2~10% of the population Fight to end discrimination and backlash –Military service –Marriage

Copyright 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Publishing as Longman Who We Are: Family Structure Marriage –Used to be essential to be a family at all –From 1996 to 2002, the number of U.S. adults who live with someone of the opposite sex without being married increased by 50 percent –The divorce rate has nearly doubled since 1950 –People also now marry later Birthrates –Have been falling for decades

Copyright 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Publishing as Longman Who We Are: Education

Copyright 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Publishing as Longman Who We Are: Wealth and Income What are the implications of an unequal distribution of income for a society’s democratic stability?

Copyright 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Publishing as Longman We are now in what Daniel Bell labels the “postindustrial” phase of our development Who We Are: Occupation Knowledge is the organizing device of the postindustrial era

Copyright 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Publishing as Longman Who We Are: Social Class Most Americans, when asked what class they belong to, say “middle class.” Very few see themselves as lower class or upper class

Copyright 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Publishing as Longman Who We Are: Age Percent of Population Over the Age of 65,