Scared Into Demanding Action: The Effects Of The Perceived Threat From Terrorism On Policy Salience

Keywords

Public opinion; Salience; Terrorism; Threat perception

Abstract

What makes ordinary people demand that politicians address international terrorism? Using a cross-national survey, this article investigates the causes of terrorism policy salience in thirteen countries. Consistent with arguments that terrorists try to coerce governments by signaling to their residents that they are vulnerable to attack, we find that perceived personal threat from terrorism is a powerful and consistent predictor that survey respondents will make terrorism their first policy priority. Other variables, including age, ideology, gender, education, identification with terror victims, and military assertiveness, have more mixed relationships with policy salience.

Publication Date

4-1-2017

Publication Title

Polity

Volume

49

Issue

2

Number of Pages

245-269

Document Type

Article

Personal Identifier

scopus

DOI Link

https://doi.org/10.1086/691200

Socpus ID

85030850578 (Scopus)

Source API URL

https://api.elsevier.com/content/abstract/scopus_id/85030850578

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