Othering in politics: how affective polarization undermines democratic philia?

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dc.authorid0000-0001-8352-4990
dc.contributor.authorErdogan, Emre
dc.contributor.authorUyan-Semerci, Pinar
dc.date.accessioned2026-04-04T18:56:06Z
dc.date.available2026-04-04T18:56:06Z
dc.date.issued2025
dc.departmentİstanbul Bilgi Üniversitesi
dc.description.abstractAffective polarization, characterized by animosity and distrust between partisan groups, threatens democratic resilience and social cohesion by fostering social distance, moral superiority, and political intolerance. This study conceptualizes affective polarization as a form of othering that undermines Aristotle's concept of philia-political friendship-essential for mutual respect and dialogue. Using survey data from 4,006 respondents in T & uuml;rkiye, we measure dimensions of polarization, including aversion to social interactions with out-groups, stereotyping, and the denial of basic rights to perceived opponents. Results reveal entrenched divisions, with in-groups attributing positive traits to themselves while assigning negative characteristics to out-groups, reinforcing a them versus us mentality. To complement these findings, a field experiment examines participants' emotional responses to politically charged scenarios involving global warming, bilingualism, and headscarves. Strong negative emotions, including anger and disgust, are directed toward out-groups, highlighting the visceral intensity of polarization and its role in deepening societal divides. By framing affective polarization within the theoretical lens of philia and othering, this study underscores its implications for democratic governance, emphasizing the need for strategies to rebuild trust, reduce hostility, and foster inclusive dialogue rooted in civic values.
dc.description.sponsorshipSwedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA)
dc.description.sponsorshipThe author(s) declare that financial support was received for the research and/or publication of this article. Funding for the data and the project is obtained from the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) under the title of Strategies and Tools for Mitigating Polarization in Turkiye Project (TurkuazLab) www.turkuazlab.org.
dc.identifier.doi10.3389/fpos.2025.1553889
dc.identifier.doi10.3389/fpos.2025.1553889
dc.identifier.issn2673-3145
dc.identifier.scopus2-s2.0-105003394772
dc.identifier.scopusqualityQ1
dc.identifier.urihttps://doi.org/10.3389/fpos.2025.1553889
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/11411/10686
dc.identifier.volume7
dc.identifier.wosWOS:001471571700001
dc.identifier.wosqualityQ2
dc.indekslendigikaynakWeb of Science
dc.indekslendigikaynakScopus
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherFrontiers Media Sa
dc.relation.ispartofFrontiers in Political Science
dc.relation.publicationcategoryMakale - Uluslararası Hakemli Dergi - Kurum Öğretim Elemanı
dc.rightsinfo:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.snmzKA_WoS_20260402
dc.snmzKA_Scopus_20260402
dc.subjectAffective Polarization
dc.subjectOthering
dc.subjectPhilia
dc.subjectDemocratic Cohesion
dc.subjectEmotions
dc.titleOthering in politics: how affective polarization undermines democratic philia?
dc.typeArticle

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