Between Two Absolutes : Public Opinion And The Politics Of Abortion

This book examines the shape and direction of public attitudes toward abortion. It looks at the social and demographic basis of public opinion on the abortion issue. The book is also concerned with the consequences of abortion politics. 1. Abortion And American Politics. Abortion: A Concise And Contested History. The Abortion Issue: The Search For An Analogue -- 2. The Social Bases Of Abortion Attitudes. Attitudes Toward Legal Abortion: Methods Of Analysis. Abortion Attitudes: An Overview. State Differences In Abortion Attitudes. Group Differences In Abortion Attitudes. Demographic Differences In Abortion Attitudes: Multivariate Analyses -- 3. The Subjective Bases Of Abortion Attitudes. Ideological Self-identification. A Matter Of Life And Death? Abortion And Gender Role Attitudes. Attitudes Toward Parenthood And Female Employment. Attitudes Toward Sexual Morality. Putting Things Together: Multivariate Analyses -- 4. Religion And Abortion Attitudes. Religion And Abortion Attitudes Among Whites: Theological Traditions. Denominational Preference And Abortion Attitudes Among Whites. The Sources Of Abortion Attitudes: White Evangelicals, Mainline Protestants, And Roman Catholics. Religion And Abortion Attitudes Among African-americans. Religion And Abortion Attitudes Among American Jews. Religion And Abortion Attitudes: A Comprehensive Model -- 5. Who Is Pro-life, Pro-choice, And In Between? Pro-choice And Pro-life Supporters: An Overview. Pro-life Citizens. Issue Divisions Among Pro-life Citizens. Pro-choice Citizens. Issue Groups Among Pro-choice Supporters. Situationalists -- 6. The Electoral Politics Of Abortion. Abortion And Vote Decisions. The Abortion Issue In Presidential Elections. Abortion And Congressional Elections. Abortion And State Electoral Politics After Webster -- 7. From Rights To Policy: The Future Of The Abortion Debate. Abortion And The Anti-politics Of Rights. Abortion Policy In The Post-webster Era -- Appendix: Detailed Results Of Multivariate Analyses. Elizabeth Adell Cook, Ted G. Jelen, And Clyde Wilcox. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [219]-228) And Index. In The Years Since The Historic Roe V. Wade Decision That Made Abortion Legal In The United States, Pro-life And Pro-choice Forces Have Organized, Demonstrated, And Participated In Electoral Politics--both Sides Claiming That The General Public Supports Their Position. Now It Appears Likely That Roe Will Be Overturned Or Limited By The Supreme Court. If Abortion Politics Is Returned To National And State Legislators, A Clear Reading Of Public Opinion On Abortion Will Become Even More Important. Using Extensive Analysis Of Survey Data, Cook, Jelen, And Wilcox Show That The American Public Values Both Individual Freedom And Fetal Life, And That A Majority Of Americans Favors Keeping Abortion Legal In Some But Not All Circumstances. Although Most Americans Are Wary Of Allowing The Government To Ban Abortion, They Are Also Supportive Of Restrictions That Would Make Abortions More Difficult To Obtain. The Authors Show Important Differences In The Attitudes Of Americans Based On Age, Education, Religion, And Race, And Explain Who Supports And Opposes Legal Abortion And Why. The Authors Also Illustrate The Increasingly Important Role Abortion Plays In National And State Elections, Arguing That Voters Will Become Even More Focused On Abortion As An Issue If Roe Is Overturned. A survey of the abortion debate in America, identifying differences in attitudes based on age, education, religion and race, and explaining who supports and opposes legal abortion, and why. It also illustrates the increasingly important role abortion plays in national and state elections.