Political participation in American cities: Deconstructing the role of local political institutions.

This dissertation examines political participation in American cities through a combination of an aggregate-level analysis of voter turnout, an individual-level analysis of electoral and non-electoral participation, and an analysis of political activism in one city. Data collected as part of the 1998 Civic Engagement Study provides the basis for a majority of my research. To understand how and why rates of participation vary across cities, my study accounts for demographic, psychological, and contextual factors. My research focuses on the influence of local political institutions on individuals' likelihood of political participation. I demonstrate that residents of cities with reform-style municipal structures have significantly lower probabilities of participation in a range of electoral and non-electoral activities than do the residents of cities with traditional style municipal structures. In general, residents of cities with neighborhood-based government structures have significantly higher probabilities of participation in electoral politics than residents of cities lacking such institutions do, but the two groups differ little in their levels of non-electoral participation. I argue that local political institutions shape the rules of the game of local politics, framing how residents view and interpret political affairs. In some cities more than others, people are likely to recognize that politics has important implications for their lives and that there is a role for them within the civic arena. These differences between cities often rest with their local political institutions. I present evidence that local political institutions have a significant influence on individuals' levels of political knowledge, attention to politics, political discussion, and political mobilization. Local political institutions appear to have a particularly strong influence on individuals of lower socioeconomic class and African-Americans. My dissertation has implications for the study of political participation, urban politics, and democratic theory. Cities that want to raise the level and quality of citizen participation need to provide residents opportunities to develop the skills and experience necessary to recognize their potential as citizens. Despite many challenges, political institutions can be developed to create a more participatory democracy.PhDPolitical scienceSocial SciencesUniversity of Michigan, Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studieshttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/132681/2/9977257.pd