Parties and Prejudice: The Normalization of Antiminority Rhetoric in US Politics

by Maneesh Arora

Overview

An essential guide to how the interactions between social norms, party politics, and expressions of prejudice are driving contemporary politics.

Antiminority rhetoric in American politics has grown more overt. What were once fringe comments on Stormfront have now become typical campaign appeals from many mainstream politicians. If there was ever a doubt, this is a poignant reminder that the boundaries of what is “acceptable” and “unacceptable” to say and do are fluid and socially enforced.

In Parties and Prejudice, Maneesh Arora offers a broad framework for understanding this new political terrain. Arora argues that the interaction between social norms and party politics determines what the political consequence of prejudicial speech will be. He illuminates this nuanced relationship by showing that norms vary based on the targeted minority group and the intended audience.

Drawing on experiments, survey data, news coverage, and real-world examples, Parties and Prejudice examines the distinctive ways that egalitarian/inegalitarian norms have developed—within each party—for Black, Muslim, and LGBTQ+ Americans. It is essential reading for understanding Donald Trump’s rise to power, the modern conservative agenda (including opposition to critical race theory and transgender rights), and threats to the development of a multiracial democracy.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780226842394
Publisher:	University of Chicago Press
Publication date:	08/18/2025
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	256
File size:	1 MB

About the Author

Maneesh Arora is assistant professor of political science at Wellesley College and visiting fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School’s Ash Center.

Table of Contents

List of Figures and Tables

Chapter 1. Introduction

Chapter 2. Theory of Differential Norms

Chapter 3. The Social Norms Index

Chapter 4. Anti-Black Messaging and Political Evaluations

Chapter 5. Anti-Muslim Messaging and Political Evaluations

Chapter 6. Anti-LGBTQ+ Messaging and Political Evaluations

Chapter 7. Countering Explicit Prejudicial Political Messaging

Chapter 8. Implications of the Normalization of Prejudice

Acknowledgments

Appendix

Notes

References

Index

Editorial Reviews

“Parties and Prejudice embarks on a critical examination of the varying societal acceptance of discrimination. Arora reveals how social norms are not only distinctively evolving across different minority groups but also for different segments of the American population (particularly with respect to party). A transformative and promising addition to American politics scholarship.”

— Nazita Lajevardi | author of "Outsiders at Home: The Politics of American Islamophobia"

“In this timely, compelling, and deeply insightful work, Arora explores how social norms of equality differ across groups, shaping the incentives that drive when and against whom politicians exploit prejudice. Written with clarity and rigor, Parties and Prejudice helps us understand and confront the shifting power of prejudice in contemporary politics.”

— Ashley Jardina | author of "White Identity Politics"

“When will politicians use anti-Muslim, anti-Black, or anti-LGBTQ messages to attract supporters? When will such appeals be overt rather than covert? And how will Americans respond to these messages across party lines? Arora addresses these challenging questions and more in this theoretically informed and empirically clever new book. Perhaps most importantly, he also offers a way to counter the growing trend of prejudice in our politics.”

— Vincent Hutchings | University of Michigan, Ann Arbor

From the Publisher