Inequality in the 'Conflict of Conflicts'? The Impact of Citizen Sophistication on Agenda‐setting Effects. (18th April 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Stubager, Rune
• Is Part Of: Political studies. Volume 63:Number 4(2015:Dec.)
• Page Start: 793
• Page End: 813
• Publication Date: 2014-04-18
• Subjects: Political science -- Periodicals; 320.5
• DOI: 10.1111/1467-9248.12131
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0032-3217

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main"> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <p>Influence upon the societal agenda is an important power resource in modern democracies. Consequently, inequalities in such influence across different segments of the public have important democratic implications. Using time‐series methods on a unique Danish dataset, this article investigates the existence of inequalities in agenda power across groups with different levels of political sophistication and finds that the most sophisticated members of the public possess more such power <italic>vis‐à‐vis</italic> the media and politicians than the less sophisticated. The existence of inequalities in agenda power across different segments of the public, even in the homogenous Danish society, implies that countries characterised by higher levels of inequality should experience even larger disparities, thereby jeopardising the democratic principle that all citizens have equal access to placing issues on the agenda.</p> </abstract>