Chapter 5 - Demographic Threat Flashcards
What is a summary of Chapter 5?
This chapter explores how America’s shifting demographics—racial, religious, and cultural—are driving political polarization. As the country becomes more diverse, these changes are perceived as threatening by many white Americans, triggering conservative backlash and reshaping party coalitions. Klein argues that political behavior is driven not just by policy or economics, but by identity—especially when that identity feels under threat. The chapter explores psychological studies showing how even subtle reminders of demographic change push whites toward conservative positions, and explains how this underlies many cultural flashpoints, from Trump’s rise to PC culture wars.
What psychological response does exposure to demographic change often provoke among white Americans?
It can trigger identity-protective cognition, leading to more conservative political attitudes even on unrelated issues like healthcare or defense spending.
What did the 2014 Craig & Richeson study find when white independents read about California becoming majority-minority?
They were over 13 percentage points more likely to favor the Republican Party afterward.
How did Ryan Enos test the effect of perceived demographic change in real life?
He had Spanish speakers ride trains in white suburbs; afterward, passengers supported more conservative immigration policies.
What is “white identity politics,” and when does it emerge?
It’s a sense of racial solidarity among whites that becomes politically significant when whites perceive their dominant status as threatened.
How did Barack Obama’s presidency paradoxically increase racial polarization?
His presence symbolized demographic change, leading to a rise in racially polarized attitudes, even though he rarely spoke about race.
How does Klein describe the “democratization of discomfort”?
As more groups gain power, more people—including those previously dominant—feel cultural discomfort and identity threat.
What political power dynamic does Klein say characterizes our current moment?
The Left increasingly holds cultural/demographic power; the Right holds political/institutional power, creating reciprocal resentment.
What does Klein argue often drives “economic anxiety” among white voters?
Racial resentment—many studies show economic perceptions become more negative when racial threat is perceived.
How did Sanders evolve on immigration between 2015 and 2020, and why?
He shifted from opposing open borders to supporting immigrant protections—reflecting demographic and electoral shifts in the Democratic base.
What is the role of “safe spaces” in political discourse, according to Klein?
Everyone seeks them, not just the Left—conflict arises from who gets to define civility and set boundaries for public speech.
What paradox do studies show about politically informed voters?
The more informed people are, the more likely they are to rationalize their beliefs and become polarized—especially when identity is at stake.
What does Jennifer Richeson suggest could reduce the backlash to demographic change?
Framing change in ways that reduce threat—though politically and culturally, this is rarely how the narrative is presented.
