Scott Appelrouth is Professor of Sociology at California State University, USA, and coauthor of Classical and Contemporary Sociological Theory, Sociological Theory in the Classical Era, and Sociological Theory in the Contemporary Era.

'…parties’ scholars should appreciate Appelrouth’s study of American party platforms and his selective, informative quotations of passages to describe the parties’ positions. No other book combines such breadth and texture in discussing the platforms of the two major US parties since their founding.' – Kenneth Janda, Party Politics

• Introduction: The State of Politics 1. The Who and Whys of Ideological Polarization 2. The Cultural Grounds of Political Ideology 3. Party Platforms and Topic Modeling 4. Republican Party Platforms: 1856-2016 5. Democratic Party Platforms: 1840-2016 Conclusion: Convergences, Divergences, and Blinkered Visions

Scott Appelrouth is Professor of Sociology at California State University, USA, and coauthor of Classical and Contemporary Sociological Theory, Sociological Theory in the Classical Era, and Sociological Theory in the Contemporary Era.

'…parties’ scholars should appreciate Appelrouth’s study of American party platforms and his selective, informative quotations of passages to describe the parties’ positions. No other book combines such breadth and texture in discussing the platforms of the two major US parties since their founding.' – Kenneth Janda, Party Politics

• Introduction: The State of Politics 1. The Who and Whys of Ideological Polarization 2. The Cultural Grounds of Political Ideology 3. Party Platforms and Topic Modeling 4. Republican Party Platforms: 1856-2016 5. Democratic Party Platforms: 1840-2016 Conclusion: Convergences, Divergences, and Blinkered Visions

Scott Appelrouth is Professor of Sociology at California State University, USA, and coauthor of Classical and Contemporary Sociological Theory, Sociological Theory in the Classical Era, and Sociological Theory in the Contemporary Era.

'…parties’ scholars should appreciate Appelrouth’s study of American party platforms and his selective, informative quotations of passages to describe the parties’ positions. No other book combines such breadth and texture in discussing the platforms of the two major US parties since their founding.' – Kenneth Janda, Party Politics

• Introduction: The State of Politics 1. The Who and Whys of Ideological Polarization 2. The Cultural Grounds of Political Ideology 3. Party Platforms and Topic Modeling 4. Republican Party Platforms: 1856-2016 5. Democratic Party Platforms: 1840-2016 Conclusion: Convergences, Divergences, and Blinkered Visions