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theses

This dissertation investigates conceptualizations of race and discourses around the topic of race in contemporary America. I examine how the internal interaction between non-elite partisans (i.e. not party officials, politicians, or media celebrities) preserves partisan racial discourses. I specifically focus on how commenters on partisan political blogs discuss racial controversies. I observed the interaction dynamics of partisans as I analyzed reactions that comments elicit among other participants. This focus allows me to move beyond a conventional content analysis that others have done via surveys, interviews, and more recently, analyses of blog posts, toward a deeper understanding of how partisans maintain the partisan divide on race. My dissertation concentrates on two controversies in the news. Drawing on the sociological literatures on “colorblindness,” framing, and interaction rituals, as well as the political science literature on racial polarization, I argue that, during such controversies, the interactions between commenters on right and left blogs focus discourse on different aspects of a controversy, establish the boundaries of legitimate debate, and manage the ambiguity around racial claims that periodically arises during internal debate. Furthermore, I contend that understanding the processes by which partisans co-produce discourses helps explain the durability of the partisan divide on race.

ETD_5975

Ph.D.

Includes bibliographical references

by Jeffrey Dowd

doi:10.7282/T3SJ1J2N

ETD doctoral

The author owns the copyright to this work.