The Participatory Implications of Racialized Policy Feedback.

Sergio Garcia-Rios,Hannah L Walker,Kassra A R Oskooii,Nazita Lajevardi

doi:10.1017/s153759272100311x

Abstract

How do involuntary interactions with authoritarian institutions shape political engagement? The policy feedback literature suggests that interactions with authoritarian policies undercut political participation. However, research in racial and ethnic politics offers reason to believe that these experiences may increase citizens' engagement. Drawing on group attachment and discrimination research, we argue that mobilization is contingent on individuals' political psychological state. Relative to their counterparts, individuals with a politicized group identity will display higher odds of political engagement when exposed to authoritarian institutions. To evaluate our theory, we draw on the 2016 Collaborative Multiracial Post-Election Study to examine the experiences of Blacks, Latinos, and Asian Americans. For all subgroups and different types of institutions, we find that, for those with a politicized group identity, institutional contact is associated with higher odds of participation. Our research modifies the classic policy feedback framework, which neglects group-based narratives in the calculus of collective action.

Highlights

How do involuntary interactions with authoritarian institutions shape political engagement? The policy feedback literature suggests that interactions with authoritarian policies undercut political participation
The theoretical model suggests that individuals who have had involuntary contact with authoritarian institutions and posses a politicized group identity will display higher odds of political engagement compared to their counterparts who lack such an identity
The results demonstrate that both linked fate and perceived discrimination are positively associated with political participation

Summary

Introduction

How do involuntary interactions with authoritarian institutions shape political engagement? The policy feedback literature suggests that interactions with authoritarian policies undercut political participation. We argue that interactions with authoritarian institutions can be mobilizing when individuals hold a politicized group identity to which they connect their experience.

Results

Conclusion