Category Books

Engaging the Public: How Government and the Media Can Reinvigorate American Democracy »

Authors: Scott P. Hays, Carol E. Hays (Editor), Scott P. Hays
ISBN-13: 9780847688890, ISBN-10: 0847688895
Format: Hardcover
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
Date Published: September 1998
Edition: (Non-applicable)

Author Biography: Scott P. Hays

Book Synopsis

This volume of original essays by leading political scientists and media scholars examines the nature of political disengagement among the public and offers concrete solutions for how the government and media can stimulate public engagement in the political process.

Doris A. Graber

This well-rounded study goes beyond handwringing about the sad state of civic engagement in the United States. It presents important research that sheds new light on the problem and makes thoughtful, workable recommendations about solutions. "Engaging the Public" is worth reading, worth pondering, and worth implementing..

	List of Figures and Tables
	Foreword
	Acknowledgments
	Introduction: Disengagement and Reform	1
Pt. I	Citizen Engagement: The People	11
1	No-Show '96: Americans Who Do Not Vote	17
2	Alienation and the "Soccer Mom:" A Media Creation or a New Trend in Voting Behavior?	29
3	Alienation, Engagement, and the College Student: A Focus Group Study	41
4	Second Chance Political Socialization: "Trickle-up" Effects of Children on Parents	57
Pt. II	Citizen Engagement: The Media	67
5	Media and Participation: Breaking the Spiral of Disaffection	75
6	Voter Interest and Participation in the 1996 Presidential Election: Did the Debates Matter?	87
7	Consequences of Negative Political Advertising Exposure	97
8	Political Talk Radio Shows' Impact on Democratic Citizenship	111
9	A Vehicle for Engagement or a Haven for the Disaffected? Internet Use, Political Alienation, and Voter Participation	123
Pt. III	Citizen Engagement: Reform	137
10	Election Law Reform and Turnout: What Works?	143
11	Voting Trends in the States: The Impact of Reform	153
12	Early Voting in Tennessee: Removing Barriers to Participation	167
13	Armchair Voting: The Vote-by-Mail Experiment in the State of Oregon	175
14	DebateWatch '96 and Citizen Engagement: Building Democracy through Citizen Communication	185
15	Going Beyond Adults and Voter Turnout: Evaluating a Socialization Program Involving Schools, Family and Media	195
16	Increasing the Quality and Quantity of Citizen Participation: New Technologies and New Techniques	207
17	Engaging the Public: An Agenda for Reform	217
	References	235
	Index	265
	About the Contributors	277