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The Journal of Politics : Editorial/Advisors Board

Rethinking the Concept of Negativity: An Empirical Approach

Negativity, Information, and Candidate Position-Taking

Courting the Women’s Vote: The Emotional, Cognitive, and Persuasive Effects of Gender-Based Appeals in Campaign Advertisements

The News Media and the Rise of Negativity in Presidential Campaigns

GATEWAYS TO DEMOCRACY introduces you to the American political system, pointing out in each chapter the "gateways" that facilitate, or at times block, participation. In emphasizing how the political system works, and how individuals and g  

Gateways to Democracy

Americans tend to see negative campaign ads as just that: negative. Pundits, journalists, voters, and scholars frequently complain that such ads undermine elections and even democratic government itself. But John G. Geer here takes the opposite stance, arguing that when political candidates attack each other, raising doubts about each other’s views and qualifications, voters—and the democratic process—benefit. 


In Defense of Negativity ATTACK ADS IN PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGNS

John G. Geer, a Distinguished Professor of Political Science and who also holds the Gertrude Conway Vanderbilt Chair, leads the Vanderbilt Project on Unity & American Democracy and serves as a senior advisor to Chancellor Daniel Diermeier on key strategic initiatives promoting democracy, open dialogue, and diversity of perspective. Geer, who previously served as the Ginny and Conner Searcy Dean of the College of Arts and Science and Vice Provost for Academic and Strategic Affairs, is a founder of both the Center for the Study of Democratic Institutions and the influential Vanderbilt Poll, which conducts surveys in Tennessee and Nashville to assess the public’s thinking on topics of interest to citizens, policymakers and elected officials. He earned his PhD from Princeton University, securing his BA from Franklin and Marshall College. Geer has published 5 books and more than 20 articles on presidential politics and elections and served as Editor of The Journal of Politics (2005-2009). His most recent book is Gateways to Democracy (2023), which is now it is 5th edition. He also published In Defense of Negativity: Attacks Ads in Presidential Campaigns (University of Chicago Press), which won the Goldsmith Book prize from Harvard University (2008). He has provided extensive commentary in the news media on politics and public affairs, including FOX, CNN, NBC, CBS, MSNBC, ABC, and NPR. Geer has also authored numerous op-ed pieces for national publications, including Politico, The Washington Post, LA Times, USA Today, and Chicago Tribune. His lecturing has earned him several awards at Vanderbilt, including the “Squirrel Award,” the 2004 Birkby Prize, the 2005 Jeffrey Nordhaus Award, and the 2009 Ellen Gregg Ingalls Award for teaching excellence.  He currently co-teaches a series of courses that advance our understanding of leadership and democracy in America with Jon Meacham, noted presidential historian.

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A Deadly Political Divide

how-americans-want-colleges-to-teach-thinking-and-why-the-experts-from-vanderbilt-say-this-moment-matters

Gertrude Conaway Vanderbilt Professor of Political Science

Abby and Jon Winkelried Professor of Political Science

  A new national Unity Poll from Vanderbilt University shows overwhelming agreement among Americans on one core belief: colleges should teach students how to think, not what to think.
At a time when higher education is under intense political and cultural scrutiny, this finding reveals an unexpected area of unity. Amid debates over free speech, curriculum design, and the purpose of a degree, Americans are signaling a shared expectation for colleges to cultivate critical thinking and reasoning — not ideological conformity.

 For journalists, observers or anyone keeping a close eye on post-secondary education,  this is a rare lens into what the public actually wants from higher education, and a timely point of entry into stories about academic freedom, the value of a college degree, political polarization, and workforce readiness.

“Many observers think current debates about the nature of higher education are relatively new but they are not,” said John Geer, co-director of the Vanderbilt Unity Poll and professor of political science. “The country, for example, was debating the purpose, value and direction of higher education in the 1940s when the federal government made major investments in research and teaching during and after World War II.”   “People want colleges and professors to teach students how to think, not what to think,” added Vanderbilt Poll Co-Director Josh Clinton, who holds the Abby and Jon Winkelried Chair at Vanderbilt and is a professor of political science. “The public most highly values those parts of higher education that help students think critically, process information and contribute meaningfully to society. The closer you get to subjects and content that has associations with contemporary political divisions, the more you see public support fracture.”  John Geer and Josh Clinton, Co-Directors of the Vanderbilt Unity Poll and Professors of Political Science, are among the nation’s leading experts on public opinion, political behavior and democratic attitudes. With decades of research experience and multiple national polls under their leadership, Geer and Clinton bring essential context to these findings. Their perspective helps media interpret not only the data itself, but the broader social forces shaping how Americans view higher education, institutional trust and the role of colleges in preparing the next generation. What the Data Reveals:  1. A Return to Fundamentals: The Public Wants Critical Thinking Above All Ninety percent of Americans say “the ability to think more logically” is extremely or very important for their children to gain from college. Factual knowledge matters too, but the public places higher value on reasoning, analysis and cognitive skill-building. Geer can help illuminate why this shift is resonating so strongly now — and what it suggests about the changing expectations placed on colleges and universities.  2. A Rare Point of Consensus in a Polarized Era The emphasis on teaching students how to think cuts across political, geographic and demographic lines. Geer notes that agreement of this magnitude is increasingly uncommon in today’s contentious climate. This story angle gives journalists a data-driven counterpoint to the typical “campus culture wars” narrative — showing where unity still exists and why.  3. Is College Worth It? Depends How You Ask When asked about long-term value, a majority of Americans say a college degree is worth the time because it opens better job prospects. But when the question focuses on financial cost, support drops significantly. Geer and Clinton can walk reporters through why perceptions differ depending on how “value” is framed — and how these attitudes influence choices about pursuing postsecondary education.  4. Americans Oppose Government Control of College Teaching Most respondents say the federal government should not direct how professors teach. This adds nuance to ongoing debates about curriculum oversight, classroom autonomy and political influence in higher education. Geer and Clinton’s expertise help explain how this preference aligns with longstanding public attitudes about institutional independence.  5. Curriculum Flashpoints Reveal Sharp Divides While many Americans agree on the need for core historical and civic content, support fragments around politically charged topics. Issues such as gender identity, sexual orientation, and certain cultural topics show much lower consensus.  Read the full article and report here:  

How Americans Want Colleges to Teach Thinking — And Why the Experts from Vanderbilt Say This Moment Matters

Vanderbilt University political scientist John Geer, the nation’s leading expert on negative political advertising, is available to comment on the U.S. Democratic and Republican presidential primary elections. Geer co-chairs Vanderbilt’s Center for the Study of Democratic Institutions.
            Among the topics Geer can address are:
 
-       The candidate who raises the most money won’t necessarily win
 
Big money is more wisely spent on lower profile races than the presidential contest, says Geer, the Gertrude Conaway Vanderbilt Professor of Political Science at Vanderbilt University.
            “On the presidential front, it probably doesn’t matter as much,” Geer says. “Just look at Jeb Bush. He has raised more money than everybody and spent more money and he’s still languishing in the polls. I think money matters more in congressional races and senate races and lower level races.”
           
-       Voter anger is dominating the primary campaign
 
Donald Trump may be the most visible example of voters channeling their anger into a candidate, but Geer says the emotion plays a role in the other Republican campaigns and that of Democrat Bernie Sanders as well.
“The Republican Party is made up of two sorts these days, pragmatists and purists,” Geer says. “The purists are particularly unhappy. They weren’t wild about (2008 Republican presidential nominee John) McCain. They weren’t wild about (2012 Republican presidential nominee Mitt) Romney. They’ve certainly never been happy about President Obama.
            “You combine all of it, and we’ve got more anger than we have seen in the last 50 or 60 years.”
 
-       Negative advertising is kicking in a little early this time around
 
“Usually nomination battles tend not to have lots of negative ads, because you have Democrats competing against Democrats for the support of fellow Democrats, and the same with Republicans” Geer says. “But the amount of attacks we’re seeing appears higher than usual. The reason is simple: the Republicans have serious disagreements, and those disagreements are leading to very harsh attacks between (Ted) Cruz and (Marco) Rubio and some of the other Republicans.”
Geer is the author of In Defense of Negativity: Attack Advertising in Presidential Campaigns, University of Chicago Press.
Watch Geer talk about attack ads here. https://youtu.be/5Fu-erSkhXI
 
-       Ads are more likely to shape the narrative of the general presidential campaign than change anyone’s vote
 
Probably about 90 percent of Americans already know which party they will vote for, Geer says.
“There just are not many persuadable voters,” he says. “Ads, as a result, at the presidential election do not influence the vote very much. What they can shape is the narrative of the campaign.
“Is the campaign going to be about change?” Geer says. “Is it going to be about the economy or international terrorism?
“The ads can shape that narrative. And in particular, negative ads can matter more than positive ads, since journalists are more interested in giving ink to attacks. Whether you like negative ads or not, they are more interesting than positive ads, which tend to be boring.”
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See all Vanderbilt social media at http://social.vanderbilt.edu.

Republicans: Open Convention / Trump &amp; Media

Despite opportunities for broad consensus, Tennessee's long history of pragmatic politics could be affected by rising polarization along party lines, according to the most recent statewide Vanderbilt University Poll.

Poll directors John Geer, Gertrude Conaway Vanderbilt Professor of Political Science, and Josh Clinton, Abby and Jon Winkelried Professor of Political Science, say these findings indicate that the state's leaders have a choice to make between further strengthening their bases or pursuing a bipartisan agenda.

Follow Vanderbilt on Twitter: https://twitter.com/vanderbiltu, on Instagram: http://instagram.com/vanderbiltu and on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vanderbilt. 

See all Vanderbilt social media at http://social.vanderbilt.edu.

Tennessee stands at a political crossroads: Vanderbilt Poll

Media Inquiry