Rayna Flye is a Social and Behavioral Science Postdoctoral Fellow in Political Science. Her broad research interests include issues of identity, power, participation, the media, entrepreneurial politicians, and how these relate to the formation of public opinion and public policy. She conducts cross-national research with the idea that knowing something about how other countries operate will give us a better understanding of politics in the US.

My dissertation addressed the relationship between diversity and support for welfare with the question: is support for the welfare state in the US and UK dependent upon who the perceived recipients are? I specifically examine whether negative attitudes towards out-groups (minorities) coupled with the belief that these groups disproportionately and undeservedly receive welfare benefits leads to a decrease in public support for welfare. I further argued that this is a message citizens are receiving from the media and right-wing politicians. I call this coupling of welfare with out-groups, or Others, the Otherization of Welfare. I examined not only race, but ethnicity, religion, and citizenship status as well. My dissertation employed a mix of quantitative and qualitative methods, including content analysis of newspapers and tabloids, and the analysis of public opinion data.

During 2010-2012 I am updating and expanding this work to include an analysis of France and Sweden.