Winners’ bliss, losers' discontent: the impact of affective polarization on satisfaction with democracy in Europe
Year: 2024
Type: dissertation
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Scholars worldwide increasingly argue that polarization is intensifying, impacting democratic\nprocesses. The issue of increasing polarization has been proven to be concerning and threatening,\nleading to violent political behavior, as evident in the case of the US Capitol storming. Yet, the\nacademic debate surrounding this issue is itself deeply polarized. There is significant discussion\nabout the nature of polarization, with the affective perspective on polarization emerging as a\nnoteworthy alternative paradigm. Furthermore, there are assertions that claims regarding affective\npolarization's undermining of democratic norms are speculative. This polarized academic debate,\nlack of empirical evidence, the primary focus of the research on the US, and the knowledge gap\nregarding the impact of affective polarization on democratic satisfaction among electoral winners\nand losers serve as the catalyst for this thesis. This study, examining 33 different elections across\n25 European polities, illuminates the contrast in democratic satisfaction between electoral winners\nand losers. It highlights that electoral losers, who are strongly attached to their party, experience a\nsignificant decline in their perception of democracy's function in their country. In comparison,\nsuch a tendency was not observed among the winners. However, a thorough exploration of each\ncase demonstrates varying effects of the relationship.
Author: Kondratyk, Yurii
Language: English
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W6997369597