Shaping Public Opinion: Gender, Immigration, and LGBTQI Rights in Political Communication

Abstract

"This panel explores the intricate dynamics of political communication and its impact on shaping public opinion, particularly focusing on gender, immigration, and LGBTQI rights. It delves into the emerging practice of 'selective liberalism', where political leaders navigate the complex terrain of promoting progressive gender issues while adopting an anti-immigrant stance. The panel examines how different social groups respond to such political strategies, especially in the context of 'femonationalism', and how this influences public perception of policy priorities. One study investigates the conditional nature of support for liberal and illiberal policies in European democracies, highlighting the role of identity markers and perceived social norms in shaping public opinion. Another examines the impact of cultural threat perceptions on attitudes towards LGBTQI rights, providing insights into how public opinion can shift based on the framing of these rights and perceived threats from immigration. The panel also delves into the symbolic versus substantive representation in politics, particularly in the context of gender. It explores how the election of female leaders like Giorgia Meloni affects public perception of women's political leadership and the nuances between symbolic representation and policy congruence. Lastly, the panel examines the rise of anti-trans politics in Canada and the UK, analyzing the formation and impact of these movements and the cross-national learning that occurs between them. This analysis provides a deeper understanding of how public opinion is shaped in the face of evolving political narratives and movements. Overall, the panel presents a comprehensive view of how political communication strategies, especially around gender, immigration, and LGBTQI rights, are instrumental in shaping public opinion in contemporary democracies."

Title	Details
Stands for Me or Acts for Me? Trade-offs between Women’s Symbolic and Substantive Representation	View Paper Details
What is "us"? The impact of perceived cultural threat on in-group attitudes towards LGBTQI rights	View Paper Details
Reframing Public Opinion on Gender Quotas	View Paper Details
Elite femonationalism and voters’ policy preferences: a multifactorial survey experiment	View Paper Details
Selective (Il)liberalism	View Paper Details