Call for Abstracts : Performing in times of political polarisation

Please submit your abstracts or register your attendance via this form.

Performing in times of political polarisation

Whilst people are disconnecting from mainstream politics en masse, we see that some politicians are able to mobilize a large number of constituents. Mainly more radical politicians have found a way to successfully tap into the repertoires which resonate with voters today. Whether through a distinct populist style (Aiolfi 2022), shapeshifting representation (Saward 2014) or group appeals (cf. Huber 2022; Stuckelberger and Tresch 2024), some representatives have found (part of the) recipe for reconnecting with their audiences; and by doing so rekindling public engagement with politics. Regardless of style or ideology, the way in which these politicians are able to appeal to otherwise disengaged or disconnected groups in society is worthy of further investigation.

By contrast, more established or mainstream political actors often fail to evoke such powerful emotional connections. One of the key questions is to what extent increased affective polarization—the intense dislike between members of opposing political groups (Iyengar et al., 2012; 2019)—impacts this more radical political engagement. While polarization can increase engagement within specific ideological camps (Barber & McCarty, 2015), it often correlates with a decline in support for broader democratic norms and principles, especially for citizens in the majority position (Mazepus & Toshkov, 2022; Janssen, 2024). This implies that polarization may be a double-edged sword: on the one hand, it brings people to rallies, voting booths, and online debates; on the other hand, it undermines the inclusive democratic ethos that sustains diverse participation.

Considering this political context, this workshop welcomes papers that want to explore the political performances of representatives and how mechanisms of polarisation are affected by, or result in increased/decreased political engagement.

Topics can include, but are not limited to, the following research questions:

- How do political performances and polarisation shape citizen engagement in times of representative disconnect?

- How does increasing engagement by more radical actors influence the overall degree of polarisation in society, both at the societal and individual level? And what does this mean for centrist parties and actors?

- How do representatives construct the self/other and how does that help/hinder them into attracting more voters?

This workshop will address these and related questions through a key-note and panel sessions with paper presentations. We are happy to receive paper proposals from people at all career levels. Abstracts of 300 words are invited, and can be submitted through this form. Please also use it to register, in case of attending without presenting.

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For any questions on financial support or otherwise, feel free to contact: hannah.oorts@warwick.ac.uk or kamil.bernaerts@warwick.ac.uk .

For more information, scan the event QR Code below:

For all queries, contact:

hannah.oorts@warwick.ac.uk

kamil.bernaerts@warwick.ac.uk