Value War

Paul R. Brewer is associate professor in the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Wisconsin —Milwaukee.

• Chapter 1 1. IntroductionChapter 2 2. Public Opinion about Gay RightsChapter 3 3. Whose Rights? Public Opinion about Gays, Lesbians, and HomosexualityChapter 4 4. From the Podium and the Pulpit: Opinion Leadership and Gay RightsChapter 5 5. Using Values to Frame Gay Rights: Traditional Morals, Equal Rights, or Special Rights?Chapter 6 6. The Foundations of Opinion about Gay Rights: Changes over Time, Differences across ContextsChapter 7 7. The Meanings of Public Opinion about Gay RightsChapter 8 Appendix A: The Pooled 2003-2004 Pew Research Center SurveysChapter 9 Appendix B: The 1993 ANES Pilot Study and the 2003 October Pew SurveyChapter 10 Appendix C: Content Analysis ProcedureChapter 11 Appendix D: The 1999 ExperimentChapter 12 Appendix E: The 1992, 1996, 2000, and 2004 American National Election StudiesChapter 13 BibliographyChapter 14 Index

Brewer's book is the best book written to date on the subject of public opinion and gay rights. Brewer combines sophisticated social research methods with a strong nose for politics. He situates his work nicely both in the enduring issues of American politics and in the unique characteristics of comemporary American politics. Written in a lucid and engaging style, this is a book that should appeal to a wide audience of readers. I think, for example, that it would fit very nicely into an undergraduate public opinion course as well as being of interest to academic specialists in the field.