ABOUT THIS BOOK

Why do politicians frequently heed the preferences of small groups of citizens over those of the majority? Breaking new theoretical ground, Benjamin Bishin explains how the desires of small groups, which he calls “subconstituencies,” often trump the preferences of much larger groups.

Demonstrating the wide applicability of his “unified theory of representation,” Bishin traces politicians' behavior in connection with a wide range of issues, including the Cuban trade embargo, the extension of hate-crimes legislation to protect gay men and lesbians, the renewal of the assault-weapons ban, and abortion politics. In the process, he offers a unique explanation of when, why, and how special interests dominate American national politics.

AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY

Benjamin G. Bishin is Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of California, Riverside.

REVIEWS

"In Tyranny of the Minority, Bishin makes a valuable contribution to the literature by asking why minorities sometimes get their way over majority wishes. He makes a compelling case, presenting the conflicting implications of majoritarian representation models. This is a very well-written, clear and interesting book, and Bishin's work invites vigorous future debate. If you are interested in democratic theory, the logic of representation, and congress in general, you will want to read this book."
—Robin Kolodny, Associate Professor of Political Science, Temple University

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Preface
1. “¡Quitemos a Castro Ahora!”
2. The Subconstituency Politics Theory of Representation
3. Overcoming Ignorance and Apathy: Testing Individual-Level Implications of Representation Theories
4. Subconstituencies in Campaigns
5. Subconstituencies in Congress
6. Heterogeneity and Representation Reconsidered
7. The Myth of Issue Visibility
8. Conclusion
Notes
References
Index

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