Affective polarization in comparative perspective

Abstract

The proliferation of research on affective polarization started about a decade ago when Iyengar et al. (2012) brought this hitherto very sparsely used concept under the spotlight. Challenging the dominant ideological paradigm, they argued for an alternative definition of polarization based on partisan feelings. Affective polarization can be defined as the simultaneous presence of affinity toward one's own party and fellow partisans (in-group) and hostility toward opposite political parties or compatriots with opposing political identities [out-group(s)]. This seminal article has been followed by a myriad of research on the topic (see Iyengar et al., 2019 for an overview). However, a large majority of this literature has focused solely on the two-party system of the US context, with comparative research lagging behind. This does not mean that intensely polarized partisan feelings are not present elsewhere: some recent comparative studies have highlighted that the USA is not a unique case and affective polarization clearly constitutes a global phenomenon (Gidron et al., 2020; Reiljan, 2020; Wagner, 2021; Torcal and Comellas, 2022). Yet, the study of affective polarization outside of the United States is still in its infancy. This Research Topic aims to address this gap and broaden our knowledge of affective polarization, especially in multiparty settings. The following eight articles provide a geographically and thematically diverse set of contributions that examine affective polarization in terms of its conceptualization and measurement, causes and consequences.