Divisive politics, polarisation and democratic decline

Many countries are grappling with the difficulties posed by the division of their societies into mutually distrustful camps in which political identity defines social identity. Such increased polarisation and tribalism results in a narrowing of the space for consensus building and mutual understanding, as inter-group conflicts come to dominate social and political discourse. Ultimately, such an environment risks eroding social cohesion and accelerating democratic erosion.

This collection sets out to take a holistic view of what has been termed ‘nasty politics’—that is, politics characterised by populist, divisive, or contentious rhetoric that entrenches ‘us’/‘them’ narratives—and its implications for society and democracy.

Research is invited that interrogates the following broad areas: (a) the factors that ferment political polarisation (e.g., populist and radical movements, social media, social atomisation, etc); (b) its manifestation (e.g., extreme behaviour, divisive rhetoric, etc); and (c) its real-world effects and consequences (e.g. on democratic engagement and norms, social cohesion, etc).

Other key themes on which relevant perspectives are invited include:

• Left- and right-wing populism, extremism, activism, grievance politics and violence
• Demography and polarisation (e.g. race, gender, generational divides, etc)
• Electoral campaigning, voting patterns and voter engagement
• Hot-button issues and ‘culture wars’ (e.g. immigration, gender, reproductive rights, foreign policy, etc)
• Psychology of partisanship, tribalism and ‘us’/‘them’ divisions
• Populist reactions to ‘centrism’ and ‘technocracy’
• Contentious rhetoric and discourse (e.g., insults, misinformation, incitement, etc)
• Role of social media and tech platforms
• State failure and crises
• Antidotes to polarisation and tribalism (e.g., depolarisation initiatives, institutional reform, voter education, etc)
• Democracy and democratic norms

Research is primarily invited from the fields of political science, sociology, psychology and linguistics, although other perspectives are welcomed.