The Michigan Four and their Study of American Voters: A Biography of a Collaboration

psc-494-cover_webThe Michigan Four and their Study of American Voters: A Biography of a Collaboration

by Herbert F. Weisberg, Ohio State University

This article provides an intellectual history of the creation of The American Voter, the 1960 book that revolutionized the analysis of American voting behavior.  A chronological history is presented, from assembling the research team, through writing the book, to its aftermath, and ending with brief perspectives on each author. Archived papers and oral histories provide new information about how the book came about, including the challenges that were encountered along the way. The reviews of the book are summarized, along with the authors’ subsequent careers and their contributions both to the voting behavior field and to its institutional infrastructure.

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PS: Political Science & PoliticsVolume 49, Issue 4 (Elections in Focus) / October 2016 pp. 845-858