Posted on November 4, 2019 in Review of the Week
Politics on display : yard signs and the politicization of social spaces
by Todd Makse, Scott L. Minkoff, and Anand E. Sokhey Oxford, 2019
215p bibl ibdex, 9780190926311 $99.00, 9780190926328 $27.95, 9780190926335
This is a book about campaign yard signs, those humble, mass-produced, inexpensive sheets of plastic wrapped around slim metal frames that sprout up in neighborhoods during the weeks preceding an election. More precisely, it’s about why people put them up and what those signs convey. Having scoured neighborhoods to tally every sign and conducted surveys and interviews to gauge people’s feelings about signs, the authors find that in some respects, the yard sign is a window to political inclinations. For example, in an era of increasingly pervasive partisan motivations, yards with signs for candidates from the same party outnumber two-party yards by a margin of 50 to 1. But signs have their own unique place, reflecting a form of political expression that cannot be avoided. Still, the authors find that most people put up signs to show pride in their chosen candidates and to advance their connection with like-minded neighbors rather than to retaliate against those with whom they disagree. Ultimately, the authors make a persuasive case that the yard sign is an important form of political expression and one that will endure.
Summing Up: Highly recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through faculty.
Reviewer: D. Niven, University of Cincinnati
Subject: Social & Behavioral Sciences – Political Science – U.S. Politics
Choice Issue: Nov 2019
This week's review identifies how the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities has been implemented across African states, amplifying grassroots perspectives and the challenges of attaining disability rights in the continent.
Posted on in Review of the Week
Closing out Native American Heritage Month, this week's review offers tips for respectful reporting on Indigenous communities.
Posted on in Review of the Week
Shopping for Thanksgiving? This week's review provides an in-depth look at the impact and interior design of self-service grocery stores in the 1920s and 30s.
Posted on in Review of the Week
In honor of Veterans Day, this week's review reveals the struggles behind securing and defending benefits for veterans in the United States.
Posted on in Review of the Week