Resource Type: Social Science Research

In an effort to address political inequality and encourage greater election participation, Seattle, Washington enacted an innovative democracy voucher program to provide each registered voter four $25 vouchers each election cycle to contribute towards local candidates. A field experiment in 2017 examined the effects of outreach to underrepresented communities to encourage participation in the voucher program. The experiment found that outreach increased the use of vouchers, particularly among high-propensity voters; however, deeper organizingmay be needed to reach the voucher program’s redistributive goals.

Provides an overview of the actors, and their roles and interconnections, that fuel the denial machine that constitutes a climate change countermovement (CCCM). Notes that these actors are typically motivated by two core concerns: economic and ideological.

American’s external political efficacy – the belief that one can influence government decisions – has been on the decline over the last several decades. Greater involvement in civic associations may help to reverse this. Analyzing a panel dataset of several hundred environmental association members, this study found that as members got to know their association’s chapter leaders, external efficacy increased.

Be careful about emphasizing climate threats, as this can increase racism and xenophobia among certain people. People who are informed about the negative effects of climate change (such as wildfires, floods, resource scarcity, etc.) may become more hostile towards immigrants and less likely to support or value the pursuit of racial equity. This effect was stronger among those with a pre-existing belief that some groups in society should be able to dominate others.