UCLA

This dissertation formulates a new theory about how social identities become politically relevant over time. Focusing on generations as social categories (e.g., Baby Boomers, Generation X, Millennials, Generation Z), I examine how, when, and among whom generational identities become politically consequential. In Chapter 2, I take a qualitative approach by implementing a news content analysis to analyze how The New York Times covers generational identities, including the topics surrounding their discussion. Chapter 3 answers questions about how age correlates with attitudes toward a variety of public policies that should correlate with generational identity. I employ cross-national data from the Cooperative Election Study (formerly the Cooperative Congressional Election Study) to observe changes in attitudes over time. Chapter 4 uses a survey experimental approach to investigate whether people will increase in the strength of their generational identity when faced with a threatening cue against their generational group. This chapter explores whether political attitudes toward age-related policies are affected by the generational threat. The dissertation concludes with shortcomings and plans for future research.