In the heyday of American labor, the influence of local unions
extended far beyond the workplace. Unions were embedded in
tight-knit communities, touching nearly every aspect of the lives
of members—mostly men—and their families and neighbors. They
conveyed fundamental worldviews, making blue-collar unionists into
loyal Democrats who saw the party as on the side of the working
man. Today, unions play a much less significant role in American
life. In industrial and formerly industrial Rust Belt towns,
Republican-leaning groups and outlooks have burgeoned among the
kinds of voters who once would have been part of union communities.
Lainey Newman and Theda Skocpol provide timely insight into the
relationship between the decline of unions and the shift of
working-class voters away from Democrats. Drawing on interviews,
union newsletters, and ethnographic analysis, they pinpoint the
significance of eroding local community ties and identities. Using
western Pennsylvania as a case study, Newman and Skocpol argue that
union members’ loyalty to Democratic candidates was as much a
product of the group identity that unions fostered as it was a
response to the Democratic Party’s economic policies. As the
social world around organized labor dissipated, conservative
institutions like gun clubs, megachurches, and other
Republican-leaning groups took its place. Rust Belt Union Blues
sheds new light on why so many union members have dramatically
changed their party politics. It makes a compelling case that
Democrats are unlikely to rebuild credibility in places like
western Pennsylvania unless they find new ways to weave themselves
into the daily lives of workers and their families.
General
Imprint: |
Columbia University Press
|
Country of origin: |
United States |
Release date: |
September 2023 |
Authors: |
Lainey Newman
• Theda Skocpol
(Victor S. Thomas Professor of Government and Sociology)
|
Dimensions: |
216 x 140mm (L x W) |
Pages: |
328 |
ISBN-13: |
978-0-231-20882-6 |
Categories: |
Books
|
LSN: |
0-231-20882-0 |
Barcode: |
9780231208826 |
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