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BestsellerE-book
Author Strauss, Claudia, 1953- author.

Title Making sense of public opinion : American discourses about immigration and social programs / Claudia Strauss.

Publication Info. New York : Cambridge University Press, 2012.
©2012

Item Status

Description 1 online resource (xxviii, 424 pages) : illustrations
Physical Medium polychrome
Description text file
Summary "Americans express contradictory views on immigration and social welfare programs. Claudia Strauss proposes that these views are formed not from standard ideologies or broad values, but from conventional ways of speaking about topics. The wording of a survey question or political message may cue one specific discourse, while a slightly different wording can trigger opposing opinions held by the same speaker. By identifying and describing common vernacular discourses, this book illustrates how discourses construct our opinions on immigration and social welfare. This study draws on interviews with people from various backgrounds to demonstrate how we acquire conventional discourses from our opinion communities. Immigration and Social Programs explains what conventional discourses are, how to study them, and why they are fundamental elements of public opinion and political culture"-- Provided by publisher.
Note "Including 'Mexican American discourses and the theory of divergence' by Hannah Pick."
Bibliography Includes bibliographical references and index.
Contents Part I. Overview: 1. Conventional discourses, public opinion, and political culture; 2. Analysis of conventional discourses: backgrounds and methods; 3. Conventional discourses and personal lives -- Part II. Immgration: 4. Public opinion about immigration; 5. 'Too many immigrants' and discourses about economic costs and benefits; 6. Discourses about legality, illegality, and national security; 7. Discourses about immigration and American culture; 8. Discourses about immigration causes and contexts -- Part III. Social Welfare Programs: 9. Public opinion about social welfare programs; 10. Discourses about limitations of government programs; 11. Discourses about personal responsibility and benefits for the deserving; 12. Discourses about caring for self, family, community, and nation; 13. Discourses about social causes of economic insecurity -- Part IV. Conclusion: 14. Questions and implications.
Local Note eBooks on EBSCOhost EBSCO eBook Subscription Academic Collection - North America
Subject United States -- Emigration and immigration -- Public opinion.
United States.
Emigration and immigration.
Public opinion.
Immigrants -- United States -- Public opinion.
Immigrants.
Public welfare -- United States -- Public opinion.
Public welfare.
Public opinion -- United States.
Genre/Form Electronic books.
Electronic book.
Other Form: Print version: Strauss, Claudia, 1953- Making sense of public opinion. New York : Cambridge University Press, 2012 9781107019928 (DLC) 2011045123 (OCoLC)760904838
ISBN 9781139776622 (electronic book)
1139776622 (electronic book)
9781139095907 (electronic book)
1139095900 (electronic book)
1283714671 (electronic book)
9781283714679 (electronic book)
9781139782654 (electronic book)
1139782657 (electronic book)
9781107019928 (hardcover)
1107019923 (print)
Standard No. 40021530687