American Insecurity: Why Our Economic Fears Lead To Political Inaction - 9780691162966

The worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, growing financial threats to the middle class, and the biggest political movement is the antigovernment Tea Party. What gives? The answer is that Americans buffeted by economic risks don't give. They don't give money or time to political organizations seeking to improve economic security. When you try to rally people to the cause, you inadvertently but powerfully deter their political participation. Levine has provided a compelling new account of a profound, and profoundly important, paradox.--Jacob S. Hacker, author of The Great Risk Shift "In American Insecurity, Levine develops a rich, interdisciplinary theory to explain why it's difficult to mobilize people around issues related to economic insecurity. Levine demonstrates the causal, demobilizing influence of what he calls 'self-undermining rhetoric'--rhetoric that reminds people they themselves face the very financial threats that they're being asked to mobilize to prevent. Well-written and intellectually stimulating, this book will make a significant contribution to the field."--Joanne Miller, University of Minnesota "In this book, Levine dramatically reduces the untenable arc of inference drawn from the lack of large-scale collective action addressing problems of American financial insecurity. Arguing that political appeals on these kinds of issues have a uniquely demobilizing impact, Levine offers a more plausible explanation for our political impasse that is firmly grounded in innovative research, fresh theorizing, and unusual insight into the financial stresses of modern American life."--Leslie McCall, Northwestern University "Developing a groundbreaking theory about the difficulties of collective action in American politics, this book considers how interest groups, public political participation, and the responsiveness of elected officials play a role in the distinct lack of policies aimed at ameliorating the effects of economic insecurity in the United States. One of the most important books in decades." --James N. Druckman, Northwestern University "American Insecurity addresses a wide range of political situations to explain why the economic dislocations that have affected tens of millions of Americans have not led to political countermobilization. It presents an entirely novel idea: that self-undermining rhetoric will systematically lead to undermobilization precisely when specific challenges are discussed. This book is a winner."--Frank R. Baumgartner, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

• | Author: Adam Seth Levine
• | Publisher: Princeton University Press
• | Publication Date: Jan 25, 2015
• | Number of Pages: 320 pages
• | Language: English
• | Binding: Hardcover
• | ISBN-10: 0691162964
• | ISBN-13: 9780691162966