This new book explores the political secrets of ordinary Americans in today's divided culture

In "Democracy Living in the Dark: How and Why People Keep Politics Secrecy" (Oxford University Press), Van Duyn, a communications professor at the University of Illinois urbana-champae discusses The decision of individuals to selectively reveal their political views

Based on the Texas team and new survey data on political secrecy, Van Duyn studied the extent to which people feel the need to hide their opinions from others in the current fierce, hyperpartisan culture

Van Duen mentioned in the book a Texas organization aliased as the "Community Women's group" or the Commonwealth Working Group (CWG)

Van Duyn claims to be a "proud Texas native" and she did research for her doctoral thesis at the University of Texas in Austin

The author described the Commonwealth Working Group as "a strange combination of the super-left Progressive Democrats and the slightly right anti-Trump Republicans

In a county where Trump received more than 75% of the vote, members of the Commonwealth Task Force felt so marginalized and afraid to ignore most of the Republicans around them-including spouses and friends, who only met at night and passed a private The list server communicates with Facebook groups

In rural communities like Texas, where residents often interact with neighbors and rely on them for their livelihoods, holding non-majority political views can be particularly isolated, stigmatized, and dangerous

Van Duen said: "They are more afraid of financial punishment than social exclusion

Political violence is a real threat

"If people feel that they can't express their beliefs by putting the candidate's sign in the front yard, are we really in a free democracy? Has the degree of polarization we created has killed this?" Van Duyn Say

Popular theories about political communication hold that expressing their opinions is a dichotomy for people whose beliefs differ from those of most people around them—they must either be outspoken or remain silent to avoid possible rejection and isolation

She said: “Say that people only express their beliefs or not express their beliefs is not complicated enough for today’s mixed environment of online communities

This book contrasts with the LGBT movement, discussing secret and private political organizations, and the motivations of activists to hide in the dark

Increasing internal hostility and gatherings between the dominant Democrats and Republicans, and some electoral districts feel left or ideologically alienated from the two groups.

In her research, Van Duen found that 22% of Americans said they sometimes conceal their political beliefs from others

Van Duen said: "Of course, this book has many sad moments, pointing out all these anti-democratic things that have happened in society, making people feel that they can't express their beliefs
.
" "But there is another side, that is this group of women.
Still exists
.

"They face all the opposition.
You don’t think they will continue to fight, but they do
.
To me, it’s an optimism
.
Contrary to the Washington Post’s slogan “Democracy dies in the dark” This book shows that democracy exists in the dark, but more optimistically, despite the darkness, it continues
.
"