• Research
  • Emissary
  • About
  • Experts
Carnegie Global logoCarnegie lettermark logo
DemocracyIran
  • Donate
Affective Polarization and Democratic Backsliding
Research

Affective Polarization and Democratic Backsliding

Evidence is strong that affective polarization and democratic backsliding are interlinked phenomena.

Link Copied
By Jennifer McCoy and Murat Somer
Published on Oct 26, 2024
Program mobile hero image

Program

Democracy, Conflict, and Governance

The Democracy, Conflict, and Governance Program is a leading source of independent policy research, writing, and outreach on global democracy, conflict, and governance. It analyzes and seeks to improve international efforts to reduce democratic backsliding, mitigate conflict and violence, overcome political polarization, promote gender equality, and advance pro-democratic uses of new technologies.

Learn More
Read the Publication

About the Authors

Jennifer McCoy

Nonresident Scholar, Democracy, Conflict, and Governance Program

Jennifer McCoy is a nonresident scholar in the Democracy, Conflict, and Governance Program, where she focuses on political polarization and democratic resilience in the U.S. and around the world.

Murat Somer

Murat Somer is a professor of political science at Koç University in Istanbul and an expert on political polarization, religious and secular politics, ethnic conflict, autocratization, and democratization in Turkey and around the world.

Authors

Jennifer McCoy
Nonresident Scholar, Democracy, Conflict, and Governance Program
Jennifer McCoy
Murat Somer

Murat Somer is a professor of political science at Koç University in Istanbul and an expert on political polarization, religious and secular politics, ethnic conflict, autocratization, and democratization in Turkey and around the world.

Murat Somer
Democracy

Carnegie does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.

More Work from Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

  • Pashinyan shaking hands
    Commentary
    Emissary
    At Stake in Armenia’s Election: Peace and Russian Influence

    Regardless of the outcome, there’s another path to ensuring that progress doesn’t stall.

      Zaur Shiriyev

  • Europe flags citizens demonstration
    Commentary
    Strategic Europe
    EU Enlargement Forgets Europeans

    Preparing candidate countries for EU membership is no longer enough. As the enlargement process becomes a reality, the union must also prepare its own societies.

      Iliriana Gjoni

  • Commentary
    Strategic Europe
    Taking the Pulse: Was it Right to Boycott Eurovision?

    Five countries staged the biggest political boycott in Eurovision history over Israel’s participation. With the FIFA World Cup and other sporting or cultural touchstones on the horizon, are boycotts effective?

      • Rym Momtaz

      Rym Momtaz, ed.

  • Visualization of technology and democracy intersection
    Article
    Realizing the Potential Gains of AI-Enabled Deliberative Democracy

    Democratic institutions currently lack the capacity needed to govern AI-augmented deliberation in ways that serve democratic imperatives.

      • Micah Weinberg headshot

      Micah Weinberg

  • wide shot of the city of Dakar by the water
    Commentary
    Senegal: An Island of Resilience

    During our visit, we observed a democracy that has learned from its difficult past and is working toward an even more dynamic future.

      • Sarah Yerkes

      Sarah Yerkes, Natalie Triche

Get more news and analysis from
Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
Carnegie global logo, stacked
1779 Massachusetts Avenue NWWashington, DC, 20036-2103Phone: 202 483 7600
  • Research
  • Emissary
  • About
  • Experts
  • Donate
  • Programs
  • Events
  • Blogs
  • Podcasts
  • Contact
  • Annual Reports
  • Careers
  • Privacy
  • For Media
  • Government Resources
Get more news and analysis from
Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
© 2026 Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. All rights reserved.