Infelicitous Political Talk: Disparaging Institutions and Support for Democracy

James L. Gibson, Michael J. Nelson, Department of Political Science, Florida State University, Department of Political Science, Centre for Comparative and International Politics, Stellenbosch University, South Africa, Department of Political Science, Washington University in St, Department of Political Science and Social Data Analytics, Affiliate Law Faculty, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park

Political Research Quarterly

Published online on July 29, 2026

Abstract

Political Research Quarterly, Ahead of Print.
Infelicitous political talk is now a routine feature of American politics, with scholars debating the extent to which it meaningfully shapes citizens’ democratic attitudes. We seek to contribute to this body of work by showing that the degree of ...