Strange Bedfellows: The Foundations and Potential of Unexpected Group Alliances in American Politics
While the importance of alliances between interest groups is well understood, less attention has been paid to the dynamics shaping when, how, and why they occur. This is especially true of unexpected alliances that unite groups—such as gay rights activists and unions in the 1970s—with seemingly little in common. Political scientists Boris Heersink and Matthew Lacombe will investigate when and how unexpected political alliances form and when and why they develop into durable rather than short-term alliances. They will conduct cross-case analyses of six unexpected alliances – three that developed into partnerships and three that did not – for their study.