Revista de comunicación política e institucional

No. 45 (2021): The political gap and causes of its growth: the case of Spain
Articles

Polarization of citizenship facing positional issues in Spanish politics

PDF (Español (España))
Juan José García Escribano
University of Murcia
María Belén García-Palma
University of Murcia
Salvador Manzanera-Román
University of Murcia

Keywords

  • polarización,
  • polarización ideológica,
  • polarización afectiva,
  • temas posicionales,
  • aborto,
  • inmigración,
  • violencia de género,
  • símbolos nacionales
  • polarization,
  • ideological polarization,
  • affective polarization,
  • positional issues,
  • abortion,
  • immigration,
  • gender violence,
  • national symbols

How to Cite

García Escribano, J. J. ., García-Palma, M. B., & Manzanera-Román, S. (2021). Polarization of citizenship facing positional issues in Spanish politics. Más Poder Local, (45), 57-73. Retrieved from https://www.maspoderlocal.com/index.php/mpl/article/view/ciudadania-polarizacion-temas-posicionales-mpl45

Copyright (c) 2021 Juan José García Escribano, María Belén García-Palma, Salvador Manzanera Román

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Abstract

Polarization in Western liberal democracies appears to have increased in recent years. The analysis of the position of citizenship facing issues in Spanish politics such as abortion, immigration, gender violence and identification with national symbols, indicates two main results. On one hand, the existence of a more moderate self-perception or “self-polarization” among the citizenship than between the parties themselves, including the preferred one. However, the “mercantilist” dynamics of politics and other components of today’s society mark positions and reference points from which to position citizen. This contributes to increase greatly polarization.
On the other hand, it has verified that the use of clearly identified positions in the considered issues is evolving towards affective polarization and the respective feelings of sympathy or rejection towards the different political parties.

PDF (Español (España))

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

  1. Abramowitz, A. I. (2010): The Disappearing Center: Engaged Citizens, Polarization, and American Democracy. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press.
  2. Abramowitz, A. I. y Saunders, K. L. (2008): «Is polarization a myth?». The Journal of Politics, 70(2): 542-555. doi: 10.1017/S0022381608080493
  3. Abramowitz, A. I. y Webster, S. (2016): «The rise of negative partisanship and the nationalization of U.S. elections in the 21st century». Electoral Studies, 41: 12-22. doi: 10.1016/j.electstud. 2015.11.001
  4. Berglund, F.; Holmberg, S.; Schmitt; H. y Thomassen, J. (2005): «Party Identification and Party Choice». En Jacques Thomassen (ed.): The European Voter. A Comparative Study of Modern Democracies. Oxford: Oxford University Press. pp. 106-124.
  5. Dalton, R. J. (2008): «The quantity and the quality of party systems party system polarization, its measurement, and its consequences». Comparative Political Studies, 41(7), 899-920. doi: 10.1177/0010414008315860
  6. De Vries, C. E. (2010): «EU Issue Voting: Asset or liability? How European Integration Affects Par-ties’ Electoral Fortunes». European Union Politics, 11(1): 89-117. doi: 10.1177/146511650
  7. Esteban, J. M. y Ray, D. (1994): «On the measurement of polarization». Econometrica, 62(4): 819-851. doi: 10.2307/2951734
  8. Fiorina, M. P. y Abrams, S. J. (2008): «Political Polarization in the American Public». Annual Review of Political Science, 11: 563-588. doi: 10.1146/annurev.polisci.11.053106.153836
  9. Fiorina, M. P.; Abrams, S. J. y Pope, J. C. (2005): Culture war? The myth of a polarized America. Nueva York: Pearson Longman.
  10. Fleisher, R. y Bond, J. R. (2001): «Evidence of increasing polarization among ordinary citizens». En J. E. Cohen, R. Fleisher y P. Kantor (eds.): American political parties: Resurgence and decline. Washington, DC: CQ Press. pp. 55-77.
  11. Gidron N.; Adams J. y Horne W. (2019): «Toward a Comparative Research Agenda on Affective Polarization in Mass Publics». APSA Comparative Politics Newsletter, XXIX: 30-36.
  12. Goldsworthy, A. y Huppert, J. L. (2020): «Bleak Future Ahead: The Science Behind Contemporary Polarization». Horizons: Journal of International Relations and Sustainable Development, 15: 60-69.
  13. Huddy, L.; Mason, L. y Aarøe, L. (2015): «Expressive partisanship: Campaign involvement, political emotion, and partisan identity». American Political Science Review, 109(1): 1-17.
  14. Iyengar, S.; Sood, G. y Lelkes, Y. (2012): «Affect, Not Ideology: A Social Identity Perspective on Polarization». Public Opinion Quarterly, 76(3): 405-431. doi: 10.1093/poq/nfs059
  15. Knutsen, O. y Kumlin, S. (2005): «Value Orientations and Party Choice». En J. Thomassen (ed.): The European Voter. A Comparative Study of Modern Democracies. Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp. 125-166.
  16. Layman, G. C.; Carsey, T. y Horowitz, J. M. (2006): «Party Polarization in American Politics: Characteristics, Causes, and Consequences». Annual Review of Political Science, 9(1): 83-110. doi: 10.1146/annurev.polisci.9.070204.105138
  17. McCarty, N.; Poole, K. y Rosenthal, H. (2006): Polarized America: The Dance of Ideology and Unequal Riches. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.
  18. Miller, L. (2020): «Polarización en España: más divididos por ideología e identidad que por políticas públicas». EsadeEcPol Insight #18: 1-14.
  19. Reiljan, A. (2020): «‘Fear and loathing across party lines’ (also) in Europe: Affective polarisation in European party systems». European journal of political research, 59(2): 376-396. doi: 10.1111/1475-6765.12351
  20. Sartori, G. (1997): Teoría de la democracia. Madrid: Alianza Universidad.
  21. Sartori, G. (2005): Partidos y sistemas de partidos: marco para un análisis. Madrid: Alianza Editorial.
  22. Stokes, D. E. (1963): «Spatial Models of Party Competition». The American Political Science Review, 57(2): 368-377. doi: 10.2307/1952828
  23. Tezanos, J. F. (2021): « Radicalización y bipolarización. ¿Meta o mito?». Sistema Digital. Recuperado de: https://fundacionsistema.com/radicalizacion-y-bipolarizacion-meta-o-mito/
  24. Torcal, M. (2020): «¡Enfrentados y enfadados! Una realidad preocupante». Agenda Pública. Recuperado de: https://agendapublica.es/enfrentados-y-enfadados-una-realidad-preocupante/
  25. Van der Eijk, C.; Schmitt, H. y Binder, T. (2005): «Left–right orientations and party choices». En J. Thomassen (ed.): The European Voter. A Comparative Study of Modern Democracies. Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp. 167-191.
  26. World Economic Forum (2020): The Global Risks Report 2020, 15th Edition. Recuperado de: http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Global_Risk_Report_2020.pdf