Promoting Depolarization: Values, Attitudes, Beliefs and Policies in Comparative Perspective

What is political depolarization? When do societies depolarize? What political initiatives and actors mitigate and reduce polarization? Is polarization a necessarily pernicious element or is it intrinsic to democratic societies? The aim of this panel is to examine the concept of depolarization in a variety of contexts and regions as well as to explore its causes and promotion mechanisms. We particularly invite papers dealing with ethnic, national, and religious minorities in polarized contexts. Contributions addressing political or affective depolarization around other topics (i.e., abortion rights, refugees, separation of powers) are also welcome. We welcome theoretical and empirical submissions from political scientists examining depolarization in values, attitudes, beliefs and policies in a variety of countries. We are also interested in scholarship that explores the interplay between these themes, using quantitative and/or qualitative methods, in single or comparative case studies. The panel will provide an open and pluralistic setting to address the Congress theme of ‘Resisting Autocratization in Polarized Societies’.