Subject Area
Politics
Description
Over the past decade, there has been an increase in political polarization across the United States. National symbols such as the American flag, the national anthem, the Pledge of Allegiance, and the military have become disputed markers of unity and identity. This study explores the following research question: How does political party affiliation influence Americans’ perceptions of key symbols of American pride and patriotism, and further, what do these perceptions reveal about national unity and political polarization? This study examines the following hypotheses more specifically: first, Republicans are more likely to associate national symbols with unity and patriotism and therefore view these symbols favorably, while Democrats interpret these symbols through a perspective of inclusivity and historical critique and therefore do not view these symbols as favorably. Secondly, partisan differences regarding these symbols are influenced and shaped by political elite and party leader rhetoric.
The thesis uses quantitative survey analysis and content analysis to test the foregoing hypotheses. Quantitative analyses of survey data are employed to examine how partisanship has shaped Americans’ perceptions of symbols of national pride over time. Content analysis of presidential campaign ads and State of the Union addresses over the past fifteen years are used to measure partisan differences in elite rhetoric related to national symbols. By using quantitative methods, this study aims to gain an understanding of the connection between partisanship and symbols of American pride and patriotism, specifically the perceptions held by American citizens and how these perceptions are influenced.
The findings from the survey data analysis and the content analysis suggest a meaningful alignment between political elite rhetoric and partisan differences in citizen perceptions of American symbols. Republican elites’ more frequent and affirmative invocation of American symbols corresponds with higher favorability of American symbols among Republican citizens. Comparatively, Democratic elites’ restrained use of American symbols corresponds with more critical public attitudes of American symbols among Democratic citizens. As polarization intensifies, symbols such as the American flag, national anthem, the military, and religious references no longer serve only as shared ideals of unity but rather represent contested symbols filled with partisan connotations. Understanding how and why these symbols are used in particular ways by political elites and received by citizens offers valuable insights into polarization that are beyond policy disagreement.
Publisher
Providence College
Publication Date
Spring 2026
Type
Thesis
Format
Text
.pdf (text under image)
Language
English
