Abstract

This discussion paper outlines a research program that addresses the question of how societies can cope with the negative consequences of affective polarization. Polarization is at the center of current debates about the erosion of social cohesion. Particularly prominent is the phenomenon of affective polarization – the tendency of individuals and groups to feel close to like-minded people while harboring negative emotions and derogatory attitudes towards those with opposing views. Affective polarization is especially harmful because it may inhibit cooperation and compromise across political camps, reduce trust in government, increase intolerance, fuel hate speech and even political violence, and thereby threaten democracy itself. The central question is how societies can manage affective polarization to mitigate its detrimental effects. We argue that social cohesion represents a key resource for societies to constructively address affective polarization and prevent its negative consequences, with civil society serving as a critical arena for implementing and examining this capacity.

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