Exposure to Confederate Monuments: The Political Effect of Non-Intervention

Abstract What is the effect of exposure to contested commemorations? Previous research has mostly found that removing these objects generates backlash. However, I argue that non-intervention can itself have detrimental effects as citizens are exposed to them in their daily lives. Empirically, I leverage a survey experiment where the treatment is administered via an originally created video that resembles a tour guide of an American city. With minimal manipulations, respondents in the treatment group are exposed to Confederate commemorations, while those in the control group are not. I find that these symbols signal the town’s history and predominant ideology. They also negatively shape observers’ emotions, political efficacy, trust in the town residents, and donations to local schools. The effects are moderated by partisanship. Republican respondents are either unaffected by the treatment or move in the opposite direction. These results highlight the potential negative consequences of maintaining controversial commemorations.