Live Poster Session: https://wesleyan.zoom.us/j/96678570264
Raef Galicia
Raef Galicia is a sophomore at Wesleyan University, double majoring in Government and East Asian Studies. Raef selected his current research topic due to his interests in urban policy, city development, and the ways in which lived environments influence political attitudes.
Abstract: Public attitudes toward government spending have long been a central topic in political research, yet less attention has been given to how geographic context shapes support for spending on cities and infrastructure. This study looks at data from the 2024 General Social Survey (GSS), focusing on respondents living in urban, suburban, and rural areas. Support for spending is measured using survey responses indicating whether the government spends too little, about the right amount, or too much on cities and highways. The results reveal a statistically significant association indicating that urban and suburban respondents are more likely to support increased city spending than those in small towns or rural areas (63.6% vs. 51.2%), even after accounting for political ideology and income . The implications of these findings for understanding place-based differences in public support for government investment are discussed.
Raef-Galicia-–-QAC201-Poster