Affective Polarization in Comparative Perspective

Affective polarization continues to redefine the contours of contemporary democracies, shaping how citizens think, feel, and act toward political others. Beyond ideological or partisan divisions, affective polarization touches upon emotions, moral judgments, and social identities—transforming disagreement into dislike, and competition into confrontation. Its implications extend from voting and policymaking to media consumption, interpersonal relations, and trust in democratic institutions. This section explores the multiple faces and foundations of affective polarization—its psychological, cultural, institutional, and technological roots, as well as its political and societal consequences. We welcome contributions that address these questions from any theoretical or methodological perspective: from political theory to empirical analyses, from qualitative fieldwork to large-scale survey research, from experimental and computational approaches to comparative historical or interpretive work. Possible themes include, but are not limited to: Conceptual and theoretical perspectives on the meaning, boundaries, and measurement of affective polarization. The emotional, moral, and identity-based foundations of political conflict. The role of social media, information environments, and elites in amplifying or mitigating polarization. Comparative insights from multi-party and non-partisan systems. The impact of affective polarization on trust, solidarity, democratic norms, and political engagement. Interventions, narratives, or institutional mechanisms aimed at reducing polarization without suppressing legitimate disagreement. We welcome both individual paper proposals and pre-organized panels that bring together complementary perspectives, cases, or methods. By fostering dialogue across disciplines and approaches, this section seeks to deepen our understanding of affective polarization as both a challenge and a constitutive feature of democratic life.