Political Polarisation

Question 1

What is polarisation? What are the 2 types of polarisation?

Answer 1

‘Increase in the difference between actors’

1. Idea-based polarisation
2. Identity based polarisation
   Affective polarisation (in-party favouritism, out-party animosity)

Question 2

What is the evolution of affective polarisation over time?

Answer 2

• increasing before and after 2008 Europe
• increasing in the past 20 years - USA

Question 3

Is polarisation problematic? Which type of polarisation is problematic?

Answer 3

Depends.

Agonistic polarisation - okay
- sees the other as legitimate
- clash of ideas
- can find ‘middle ground’

Antagonistic polarisation - bad
- sees the other as illegitimate
- distance to outer group is bigger and emotional
- no room for middle ground
- clash of identities

Question 4

What are consequences of polarisation? What is the mechanism of polarisation leading to exclusion?

Answer 4

How?
- the bigger the affective distance between actors -> delegitimisation -> dehumanisation -> interpersonal and societal exclusion

1) limited political effects
2) mostly interpersonal effects

Interpersonal:
- discrimination and exclusion
- diminished trust
- hostility and violence

Societal
- lower democratic support
- less political cohesion
- democratic decline

Question 5

What are mitigation strategies for polarisation?

Answer 5

1. Institutional set-up
   - consensus democracies
   - deliberative devices
2. Intergroup dynamics
   - intergroup contact theory
   - priming of overarching identities/ friendships