The University of Maine DigitalCommons@UMaine Honors College Spring 5-2021 Political Polarization and the Dissemination of Misinformation: the United States Pandemic Response as a Cautionary Tale Mary Giglio Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/honors Part of the American Politics Commons This Honors Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by DigitalCommons@UMaine. It has been accepted for inclusion in Honors College by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@UMaine. For more information, please contact
[email protected]. POLITICAL POLARIZATION AND THE DISSEMINATION OF MISINFORMATION: THE UNITED STATES PANDEMIC RESPONSE AS A CAUTIONARY TALE by Mary K. Giglio A Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for a Dual-Degree with Honors (International Affairs and Political Science) The Honors College The University of Maine May 2021 Advisory Committee: Richard Powell, Professor of Political Science, Advisor Mark Brewer, Professor of Political Science, Honors College Lora Pitman, Adjunct Assistant Professor of Political Science Asif Nawaz, Assistant Professor of History and International Affairs Zachary Rockwell Ludington, Assistant Professor of Spanish i ABSTRACT This thesis discusses the failings of the United States response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and how it has been shaped by the nation’s intense political polarization and the widespread dissemination of misinformation. In this thesis, I critically examine the government’s initial response to the pandemic, including its lack of preparedness and the ineffectiveness of its eventual policies. I also attempt to explain the influence of political polarization on the states, resulting in congressional gridlock, as well as wildly varying policies regarding lockdowns and mask mandates.