Multidimensional Democracy: The Supply and Demand of Political Representation
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Harden, Jeffrey J. Multidimensional Democracy: The Supply and Demand of Political Representation. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2012. https://doi.org/10.17615/v9k0-1834APA
Harden, J. (2012). Multidimensional Democracy: The Supply and Demand of Political Representation. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. https://doi.org/10.17615/v9k0-1834Chicago
Harden, Jeffrey J. 2012. Multidimensional Democracy: The Supply and Demand of Political Representation. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. https://doi.org/10.17615/v9k0-1834- Last Modified
- March 22, 2019
- Creator
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Harden, Jeffrey J.
- Affiliation: College of Arts and Sciences, Department of Political Science
- Abstract
- Research on representation in American politics typically examines the concept through only one of four dimensions: policy, service, allocation, or descriptive. Although scholars collectively provide a comprehensive view of representation, its multidimensional nature implies that any analysis of one dimension that does not account for the others is missing key elements of the process. Furthermore, most research focuses on the behavior of legislators. Less is known about the determinants of citizens' preferences. I unify the dimensions of representation in a theoretical model that accounts for both citizen demand and legislators' priorities (i.e., supply). I test this theory with three sources of original data: (1) survey experiments administered to a sample of American adults, (2) survey experiments administered to state legislators, and (3) a new archive of state legislators' websites. On the demand side, I posit that citizens' expectations about government's role in their lives drive preferences for representation. Using survey experiments from a nationally-representative sample, I provide empirical support by demonstrating that characteristics such as economic factors, ideology, and gender and race correspond as predicted with preferences for the four dimensions of representation and two role orientations. Next I turn to the supply of representation. I expect that, given the constraints of resources and costs, legislators systematically emphasize some dimensions over others to further the goal of re-election. Results from the survey experiments and legislator website data provide support; factors that alter resources, costs, and benefits---legislative institutions, district demand, and individual traits---structure legislators' strategic representational priorities. A critical finding in this research is evidence of a connection between demand for and supply of the dimensions of representation. For example, I find that disadvantaged constituents (e.g., the poor and racial minorities) prefer "district-centric" types of representation such as service and allocation, while the wealthy and whites prefer policy-based representation. Then I show evidence that legislators in relatively poor districts and/or those with large black populations emphasize service and allocation while legislators in wealthy and/or predominantly white districts focus more on policy. I conclude by discussing how this seemingly beneficial connection may ultimately contribute to inequality in American political representation.
- Date of publication
- December 2012
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- In Copyright
- Advisor
- Carsey, Thomas M.
- Degree
- Doctor of Philosophy
- Graduation year
- 2012
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