The Washington Post
Jan. 10, 2014
Why People Call Themselves 'Independent' Even When They Aren't
In this co-authored guest column, Samara Klar, an associate professor in the UA School of Government and Public Policy, explains why people self-identify as politically independent when, in fact, they act in partisan ways. Klar and her co-author note that people do not want to give the impression that they are uncooperative, uncompromising and angry, as partisans are often portrayed in the media. Thus, some see being independent as more socially acceptable.