POLSC232: American Government

Watch this two-part presentation on party identification and national shifts in party control (realignment and dealignment) in the American political system. A person's loyalty to or preference for one political party is called party identification. When people identify with a party, they usually agree with the party's stance on a few major issues and give little weight to its stance on issues they consider minor or secondary. This presentation also discusses how some elections can serve as turning points that define the agenda of politics and the alignment of voters within parties during periods of historic change in the economy and society.