Investigating Affective Polarization: Implications for Political Behavior and Democratic Institutions

Affective polarization is dramatically influencing the field of political science, altering how modern democracies function and shaping societal cohesion. Citizens are developing intense positive feelings for their own political parties, coupled with deep-seated antipathy for rival parties. These emotional divides stretch beyond mere partisan and ideological disagreements and infiltrate social and emotional domains, thereby testing trust in democratic institutions, eroding tolerance, and potentially fueling conflict. Yet, they can simultaneously boost political engagement and solidify group identities. Dissecting the roots, influences, and implications of affective polarization is essential to understanding the dynamics of political behavior and institutional functionality globally.

To respond to this intricate challenge, this Research Topic aims to explore the origins and consequences of affective polarization specifically within political science frameworks. The primary objective is to critically examine how economic, cultural, and technological shifts influence polarization. Further investigation is needed into how social media and diverse information ecosystems are either amplifying or mitigating these sentiments. Additionally, the relationship between affective polarization and other phenomena, such as populism, conspiracy theories, and public opinion within multiparty systems, is of paramount importance for policy development and societal dynamics.

To gather further insights within the domain of political science, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:
• The impact of affective polarization on trust in democratic institutions;
• The influence of media in exacerbating or mitigating polarization;
• Comparative political science studies of polarization in established versus emerging democracies;
• Strategies for preserving democratic contestation while minimizing polarization’s negative effects;
• The conceptual and methodological challenges of measuring affective polarization.

This Research Topic seeks to foster a comprehensive understanding of affective polarization's impact on political systems, exploring the critical questions it raises within political science. By inviting contributions focused on political behavior, public opinion, and institutional analysis, we aim to enrich the scholarly discourse and enable strategies for engaging productively with this pivotal issue. Types of articles may include original research, reviews, case studies, and theoretical papers.

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Conceptual Analysis
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Conceptual Analysis
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Policy and Practice Reviews
• Policy Brief
• Registered Report
• Review
• Study Protocol
• Systematic Review
• Technology and Code

Keywords: affective polarization, democratic institutions, political behavior, social media, political trust, polarization measurement

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.