Digitalization and political polarization have become two central forces shaping contemporary democratic governance. One perspective emphasizes the promise of digitalization, arguing that digital technologies can empower citizens by improving access to information, expanding political participation, and strengthening democratic accountability. A contrasting perspective highlights the challenges associated with polarization, suggesting that growing ideological and affective divisions can weaken social trust, increase perceptions of political and social threat, and undermine political cooperation and democratic resilience. Digitalization and polarization may also interact in shaping citizens’ political identities, emotional responses, perceptions of uncertainty and threat, and evaluations of democratic governance.
This panel invites interdisciplinary research that offers new perspectives and empirical evidence on the relationships among digitalization, polarization, and democratic governance. We particularly welcome research that examines:
• How do digital technologies shape mass psychology and collective behavior?
• Under what conditions does digitalization strengthen or undermine democratic participation, representation, accountability, and resilience?
• How do ideological, affective, and social polarization influence political trust, social cohesion, political participation, and democratic attitudes?
• How do digitalization and polarization interact to shape citizens’ perceptions attitudes and responses to political and social change?
• How can new data, methods, and comparative research advance our understanding of these relationships across different political and social contexts?
The panel welcomes theoretical, empirical, comparative, cross-national, and interdisciplinary contributions that advance our understanding of how digitalization and polarization shape political psychology, social relations, and the prospects for democratic governance.
