Affective Polarization and Political Othering

Abstract

How do citizens construe political others, and when do these perceptions harden into political “othering”? The papers in this panel examine how opponents come to be seen as biased, morally suspect, and a coherent “type”. These perceptions can in turn fuel distrust, hostility, and social distance across contexts. The panel focuses on the cognitive and moral building blocks of othering (stereotypes, perceived discrimination, and misperceptions), alongside evidence on how these dynamics might be tempered through empathy-building or structured cross-cutting exchange. The contributions shift attention from polarization as a set of attitudes to polarization as a way of seeing political opponents, with implications for democratic coexistence.

Title	Details
Moral Trade Under Polarization	View Paper Details
Do Citizens Feel Discriminated Against for Partisan and Political Reasons? Survey Evidence from 11 Countries	View Paper Details
The Political "Other" in People’s Own Words: Stereotype Domains and Affective Polarisation in Brazil and the Netherlands	View Paper Details
Building Empathy to Counter Affective Polarization Through Civic Education	View Paper Details