Assuming the Costs of War: Events, Elites, and American Public Support for Military Conflict Export

@article{citeulike:1797737, abstract = {Many political scientists and policymakers argue that unmediated eventsdetermine whether the mass public will support military excursions. The public supports war, the story goes, if the benefits of action outweigh the costs of conflict. Other scholars contend that the balance of elite discourse influences public support for war. I draw upon survey evidence from World War II and the current war in Iraq to come to a common conclusion regarding public support for international interventions. I find little evidence that citizens make complex cost/benefit calculations when evaluating military action. Instead, I find that patterns of elite conflict shape opinion concerning war. When political elites disagree as to the wisdom of intervention, the public divides as well. But when elites come to a common interpretation of a political reality, the public gives them great latitude to wage war.}, author = {Berinsky, Adam J.}, citeulike-article-id = {1797737}, citeulike-linkout-0 = {http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1468-2508.2007.00602.x}, citeulike-linkout-1 = {http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract?fromPage=online&aid=1965592}, citeulike-linkout-2 = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2508.2007.00602.x}, citeulike-linkout-3 = {http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/bpl/jopo/2007/00000069/00000004/art00007}, doi = {10.1111/j.1468-2508.2007.00602.x}, issn = {0022-3816}, journal = {The Journal of Politics}, keywords = {casualties, conflict, elites, media, public\_opinion}, month = {November}, number = {04}, pages = {975--997}, posted-at = {2009-11-04 18:41:17}, priority = {2}, publisher = {Blackwell Publishing}, title = {Assuming the Costs of War: Events, Elites, and American Public Support for Military Conflict}, url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2508.2007.00602.x}, volume = {69}, year = {2007} }

TY - JOUR ID - citeulike:1797737 L3 - citeulike-article-id:1797737 N2 - Many political scientists and policymakers argue that unmediated eventsdetermine whether the mass public will support military excursions. The public supports war, the story goes, if the benefits of action outweigh the costs of conflict. Other scholars contend that the balance of elite discourse influences public support for war. I draw upon survey evidence from World War II and the current war in Iraq to come to a common conclusion regarding public support for international interventions. I find little evidence that citizens make complex cost/benefit calculations when evaluating military action. Instead, I find that patterns of elite conflict shape opinion concerning war. When political elites disagree as to the wisdom of intervention, the public divides as well. But when elites come to a common interpretation of a political reality, the public gives them great latitude to wage war. IS - 04 JF - The Journal of Politics SN - 0022-3816 EP - 997 TI - Assuming the Costs of War: Events, Elites, and American Public Support for Military Conflict PB - Blackwell Publishing VL - 69 SP - 975 KW - casualties KW - conflict KW - elites KW - media KW - public_opinion AU - Berinsky, Adam PY - 2007/11// UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2508.2007.00602.x ER -