Imagining the American People: Strategies for Building Political Community

• Published in: Journal of communication Vol. 53; no. 1; pp. 138 - 154
• Main Authors: Hart, Roderick P., Jennings, William P., Dixson, Mary J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.03.2003; Blackwell
• Subjects: Americans; Communication; Community; Elections; Electorate; Mass media; Media; Narratives; Political behaviour; Political sociology; Politics; Portrayal; Self-perception; Sociology; U.S.A; USA; Values; Voters; United States Of America; Political strategy; Collective Identity; Electoral campaign; Social construction; Comparison; Voter; Voters; Representation; Mass media; Self-representation; Community

This study examined how the American electorate has been described by political campaigners, the mass media, and voters themselves between 1948 and 2000. Using a large (digitized) database of campaign addresses, news stories, and letters to the editor, the authors isolated 2,924 uses of the phrase,...