Replication Data for: The Spread of Symbolic Policies: Juneteenth, Interests, and Representation in the U.S. States

Decades of policy diffusion research support the notion that governments’ policy adoptions are conditional on other governments’ policy choices. However, the theory of policy diffusion has only been tested on substantive rather than symbolic policies. This is surprising because ceremonial bills and resolutions can comprise a sizable portion of legislation proposed and passed by national and subnational governments. We leverage the spread of Juneteenth commemorative policies across the U.S. states since 1980 to exploit this central theory of policy change. Relying on the emulation mechanism, we find that states face external normative and social pressures to commemorate Juneteenth and mimic prior adopters’ policy choices, particularly their ideological peers. States’ internal contexts also matter. States’ civil rights groups and racial environments explain how states memorialize Juneteenth. Further, Black political representation moderates the negative impact of racial resentment on enacting these measures. This research holds significant implications for the study of policy diffusion, minority politics, legislative processes, and political representation.

数十年的政策扩散（Policy Diffusion）研究均证实，政府的政策采纳行为取决于其他政府的政策选择。然而，现有政策扩散理论的检验仅针对实质性政策，而非象征性政策。这一现象颇令人意外，因为仪式性法案与决议在国家及次国家政府提出、通过的立法中占据相当比例。我们借助1980年以来美国各州六月节（Juneteenth）纪念政策的扩散现象，对政策变迁的核心理论展开检验。依托模仿机制（Emulation Mechanism），研究发现各州面临推动纪念六月节的外部规范性与社会压力，并会效仿此前已采纳该政策的州，尤其是意识形态同侪的政策选择。各州的内部语境同样发挥重要作用：民权团体与种族环境能够解释各州纪念六月节的差异化路径。此外，黑人政治代表权会缓和种族怨恨对出台这类纪念政策的负面影响。本研究对政策扩散、少数族裔政治、立法进程以及政治代表权等领域的研究均具有重要启示意义。