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Friends Unlike Me: Affective Political Polarization, Hidden Heterophily, and the Work of Negotiating Boundary Conflict
Research on political social networks has centered on strong ties rather than weaker ones, emphasizing homophily. This research highlights heterophily which is underestimated when using a traditional survey method for measuring social networks. Using 29 semi-structured in-depth interviews with Democrats in the Northern Indiana area, I find that participants placed a range of restrictions on relationships with Republicans and others they disagreed with. As result, they retained the relationships as weaker ties. Choice of restriction varied between familial and non-familial ties but did not predictably vary according to the magnitude of political disagreement in the relationship. Participants’ reflection on their relationships in these interviews showed difficulty in reconciling their identities, group memberships, and existing relationships with those they disagree with politically.
History
Alt Title
Affective political polarization, hidden heterophily, and the work of negotiating boundary conflictDate Created
2023-04-29Date Modified
2023-04-29Defense Date
2023-03-24CIP Code
- 45.1101
Research Director(s)
Kraig BeyerleinDegree
- Master of Arts
Degree Level
- Master's Thesis
Language
- English
Alternate Identifier
1377732870OCLC Number
1377732870Additional Groups
- Sociology
Program Name
- Sociology