Who Polarizes Whom? How Issue Type Defines Mass-Elite Linkage

Do voters become polarized because parties are polarized (top-down polarization) or do parties become polarized because voters are polarized (bottom-up polarization)? This project proposes that issue type determines whether ideological polarization follows a top-down or bottom-up trajectory. Voters adjust their positions to better match their party (top-down) on pragmatic issues such as economy because they will trust their party to adjust their policies to the changing economic reality. Conversely, polarization occurs in a bottom-up fashion (parties will become more polarized if voters are polarized) on principled issues such as environment, immigration, gay rights because these are value-laden deeply rooted attitudes. First, this project, focusing on European multiparty democracies, describes the evolution of party and mass polarization on social and economic issues in time. Second, it tests the theory across countries. Third, using panel data, it tests the theoretical argument on the British case, where the Labour Party suddenly shifted its position to further left under Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership. The results of this project will have implications for the democratic theory by analyzing the relation between masses and elites and the direction of influence between them.

Faculty Supervisor:

Ruth Dassonneville

Student:

Partner:

The University of Texas at Austin

Discipline:

Sociology

Sector:

Education

University:

Université de Montréal

Program: