Table of Contents

Introduction
1: The Sociological Tradition in Political Behaviour Research
1: Social Cleavages and American Politics
3: Class
4: Religion
5: Gender
6: Race and the Social Bases of Voter Alignments
7: Party Coalitions
8: Social Cleavages in the 1996 Elections
9: Third Party Candidates
10: Conclusion

About the Author

Jeff Manza is Associate Professor of Sociology and Faculty Fellow, Institute for Policy Research, Northwestern University

Clem Brooks is Associate Professor of Sociology at Indiana University, Bloomington

Reviews

This is a wonderful book that no one interested in U.S. voting behaviour and presidential elections should ignore. Contemporary Sociology The goal of Manza and Brooks in this impressive book, is to make the case for the sociological approach and to rescue it from its detractors. They do not wish to claim more for it than can be justified, but they argue for its continued usefulness and do so with a degree of thoroughness, intelligence, and imagination that should make this book a classic statement and defense of the approach ... Their discussion is sharp and illuminating. Contemporary Sociology This book is an absolute must for any student of voting behavior or party coalitions as it is a major contribution to our understanding of social cleavages in American politics. Indeed, it presents the likely fatal blow to recent critics of the sociological approach to studying politics. Janet M. Box-Steffensmeier, Associate Professor, Department of Political Science, Ohio State University. The authors have produced an intelligent and thoughtful study that falls in the mainstream of empirical poitical sociolology. Social Cleavages and Poitical Change is in the 'must read' category of books for any specialist on American politics and also for students of electoral behaviour. Alan Ware