Geographic Location

As Americans we would like to think that we are independent thinkers, free from the influences of society. However, this could not be further from the truth, as all of us are heavily shaped by social forces beyond our control. One of these forces, which I will focus on in particular, is geographic location. During the election coverage of Obama in 2008, a lot of emphasis was placed on the demographics of age, sex, and socioeconomic background of the voters; but little was said about how these trends fit into the overall geographical context of the nation. Although white voters voted more for McCain as a whole, this does not tell the whole story and can be explained using social trends found in different areas of the country.

When looking at each of the regions in the United States (Midwest, South, East, and West) the gap between Republicans and Democrats is within 5% points, with one exception: the South. 67% of white voters in the south voted for McCain whole only 31% voted for Obama – a difference of 36%. http://pewresearch.org/pubs/1023/exit-poll-analysis-2008 How could such a substantial difference exist? Historically, the South has been a bastion of conservatism, and has resisted progressive change, sometimes violently (as seen in the civil rights movement). Although racism has been on the decline, no one would deny that it still exists is some form. For the most part, people are most comfortable around their own race and this could explain the differences observed in the South. As opposed to other areas of the nation, the South still suffers from scars of a racially charged past, which could explain the observed gap; not overt racism, but rather insensitivity.

Depending on if a person is from an urban, rural, or suburban area also influences how they will likely have voted in 2008. Urban white voters slightly favored Obama by 4%, while suburban voters favored McCain by 14% and rural voters favored McCain by 22% (pew research). The more urban the area, the higher the chance organized unions would take hold which would be more likely to go Democrat. The culture of cities also tends to be much more diverse, and interracial interactions are much more common as opposed to largely white, homogenous small rural towns. In the 1950s, many white people fled the urban centers to the suburbs known as the “white flight”.   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvjMm5TPNEA This YouTube video of a vintage 1950s film about the suburbs illustrates the American dream that was sold as truth. As racial groups segregate themselves, they tend to think alike – and vote alike (which was observed in 2008). When people are not exposed to differing points of view, they are much less likely to question their own. This effect can be observed in small towns where it is dissent is discouraged due the homogenous culture.