Understanding coalitions' emotion-belief expressions and rural identity: An ACF study of Colorado's “MeatOut”

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

10-2025

Department

Department of Social Sciences

Abstract

Over the past decade, the United States has experienced increasing political polarization and populism, often aligned with rural-urban divides. A notable example emerged in 2021, when Colorado Governor Jared Polis issued a proclamation declaring March 20th, 2021 as MeatOut Day, encouraging residents to abstain from eating meat for that day. This initiative sparked significant backlash from rural communities against the Denver-based Governor, resulting in an emotionally charged discourse between opposing groups. This study employs the Advocacy Coalition Framework to analyze this conflict, examining two key questions: How do coalitions, defined by rural-urban divisions, express emotions and beliefs in a policy conflict, and how do the attributes of these coalitions differ? The findings reveal that in policy conflicts that implicate rural life, distinct coalitions form along rural-urban divides, each characterized by unique emotional-belief expressions. The study identifies a “rural effect,” characterized by deep core beliefs rooted in rural identity and negative emotions, while urban actors' policy discourse primarily draws upon policy core beliefs and positive emotions.

Publication Title

Journal of Rural Studies

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