Ohio State is in the process of revising websites and program materials to accurately reflect compliance with the law. While this work occurs, language referencing protected class status or other activities prohibited by Ohio Senate Bill 1 may still appear in some places. However, all programs and activities are being administered in compliance with federal and state law.

Working Papers and Reports

Working Papers and Reports

Working Papers Overview 

 

Nigeria Deliberative Town Hall Bende: Opinions & Vote Intention About the Honourable
Marco Castradori, Michael A. Neblo, William Minozzi

This working paper explores the effects of attending a hybrid Deliberative Town Hall (DTH) held on 27 January 2024 in Bende, Nigeria, focused on infrastructural development. Embedded within a field experiment, the study evaluates how participation in the event shaped attendees' national versus ethnic identity. Data was collected through both pre- and post-event surveys, with outcomes grouped across multiple thematic families.


Nigeria Deliberative Town Hall Bende: National v. Ethnic Identity
Marco Castradori, Michael A. Neblo, William Minozzi


Nigeria Deliberative Town Halls Baruten/Kaiama: Current Evaluations of Nigerian Democracy’s Future
Marco Castradori, Michael A. Neblo, William Minozzi


Expertise and the Promise of Non-Electoral Representation: A National Field Experiment on Deliberation with Congressional Committee Leaders
Jungbae An, William Minozzi, Michael A. Neblo


Logos, Ethos, & Pathos: Mechanisms of Persuasion in a Deliberative Field Experiment
Michael A. Neblo, Kevin M. Esterling, David Lazer, William Minozzi
APSA Annual Meeting Paper 

This paper presents a field experiment in which constituents engaged in online deliberative sessions with their members of Congress to study how persuasion operates through Aristotle’s rhetorical modes: logos (reason), ethos (credibility), and pathos (emotion). The results show that pro-immigration legislators were able to persuade both co-partisan and opposing constituents—largely through logical arguments and emotional appeals—while anti-immigration legislators had limited persuasive impact, primarily managing to neutralize opposing views rather than convert them. 


A Theory of Deliberation as Interactive Reasoning
Michael Neblo, David Siegel, William Minozzi
APSA Annual Meeting Paper 

This paper introduces a formal model of the “ideal speech situation,” where participants in deliberation aim to understand and be understood rather than to influence outcomes strategically. It examines how consensus emerges through reason-giving and challenges among actors, and how the dynamics of deliberation shift depending on the group's composition. 


A Plague on Politics? The Covid Crisis and the Future of Legitimation
Michael A. Neblo, Jeremy Wallace

This article, published in 2021, explores how rising reliance on experts can weaken democratic legitimacy and trigger populist backlash. Using COVID-19 as a turning point, it examines governance responses in the U.S., China, and South Korea to propose a new global research agenda.


The Role of Familiarity in Democratic Representation: A Field Experiment on Constituent Attitudes
Kevin Esterling, Michael A. Neblo, David Lazer, William Minozzi


Thrasymachus's Blush: Political Psychology and the Road to Democratic Realism
Michael A. Neblo, William Minozzi

This article explores the emotional and social dimensions of blushing, arguing that it plays a crucial role in signaling moral character, sincerity, and social attunement. By examining philosophical, psychological, and physiological perspectives, the author shows how blushing functions as a visible, involuntary expression that reinforces ethical behavior and social trust. 


UK Deliberative Town Halls: Policing, Affective Polarization
William Minozzi, Michael A. Neblo


UK Deliberative Town Halls: Policing, Trust and Approval
William Minozzi, Michael A. Neblo


UK Deliberative Town Halls: Policing, Interest and Attention
William Minozzi, Michael A. Neblo


UK Deliberative Town Halls: Policing, Depth of Processing
William Minozzi, Michael A. Neblo


UK Deliberative Town Halls: Policing, Opinion on Oversight
William Minozzi, Michael A. Neblo


UK Deliberative Town Halls: Good Friday Agreement, Affective Polarization
William Minozzi, Michael A. Neblo


UK Deliberative Town Halls: Policing, Compromise and Discussion
William Minozzi, Michael A. Neblo