Author: Gonzalo Romero Bonaplata Contemporary social movements operate in a world radically reshaped by digital technology. Social media and the wider internet have dramatically reduced barriers to political participation, allowing movements to mobilise massive support for causes. Nevertheless, offline mobilisation remains essential as online-only campaigns repeatedly fail to bring lasting change. So, how exactly should […]
Author: Evelyne Faher How should formal political participation be promoted amongst young people in Britain? We have seen a notable decline in youth formal political participation in the UK over time. Formal political participation refers to activities such as voting, contacting politicians, and political party membership. Researchers usually define young people as 18–24-year-olds. Since 1964, […]
Author: Amy Stinton The manner in which a political incident is presented affects how it is perceived, and thus influences how the public and politicians engage with the issue. With 50 people being killed between 2014 and 2018 due to extremist incel violence, comparable to the approximately 72 deaths resulting from Islamic extremists, many argue […]
Author: François Bellamy The political divide between urban and rural populations, a well-documented issue in the U.S., is also growing in Europe, especially in France. This divide highlights significant differences in political behavior based on geography. While sociodemographic factors are relevant, this analysis focuses on the role of location itself. Using France as a case […]
Author: Eilidh Hynes In the aftermath of the German national elections, there was a startling revelation that one quarter of men, aged 18 to 24, voted for the far-right Alternative for Germany Party (AfD), making it the most popular party among this demographic. What was seen in Germany is no anomaly but in fact part […]
How can we challenge the role of media narratives in driving polarisation around transgender issues?
Author: Cameron O’Boyle Narratives surrounding transgender (trans) identities in the political sphere have become increasingly conflicting in recent years. This can be attributed to the role of the media in portraying trans individuals as ‘other’ – a threat to the average person. Despite making up just 0.5% of the UK population, the trans community faces […]
Author: Naoya Yamaguchi “…Sean Spicer, our press secretary, gave alternative facts to that.” This iconic quote was said by Kellyanne Conway, adviser to President Trump, when she joined “Meet the Press” on January 22, 2017. Conway used the term “alternative facts” to defend then-White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer’s false claims about the crowd […]
Author: Eve Barrow A man with conviction is a hard man to change. Tell him you disagree, he turns away. Show him facts, he questions the source. Appeal to logic, he fails to see your point. Leon Festinger, 1956. Make him laugh, will he lay down his defences? In today’s divided political landscape, […]
Author: Nick Tompkins Affective polarisation – the tendency of partisans to distrust and dislike those from the other party – has become one of the defining features of the American political climate. Research indicates that levels of animosity between supporters of the two parties has reached record highs in recent years, to the point that […]
