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Living in a Bubble: Students’ Experiences of Affective Polarization. A Two-Case Interview Study of Students in Lund and Freiburg

Apeloig, Alma LU and Fellert, Jette Maria LU (2026) STVK12 20261
Department of Political Science
Abstract
In recent years, affective polarization has become an increasingly prominent topic in political science research due to growing interest in the emotional dimensions of political division and their implications for democracies. Affective polarization refers to a form of political polarization, where individuals feel positively toward their own political group and negatively toward the opposing political group. Despite growing research on affective polarization, qualitative research on its manifestation within multiparty contexts remains limited. This thesis is a qualitative two-case study based on semi-structured interviews with higher education students in Freiburg and Lund, examining how they experience affective polarization in everyday... (More)
In recent years, affective polarization has become an increasingly prominent topic in political science research due to growing interest in the emotional dimensions of political division and their implications for democracies. Affective polarization refers to a form of political polarization, where individuals feel positively toward their own political group and negatively toward the opposing political group. Despite growing research on affective polarization, qualitative research on its manifestation within multiparty contexts remains limited. This thesis is a qualitative two-case study based on semi-structured interviews with higher education students in Freiburg and Lund, examining how they experience affective polarization in everyday life. The theoretical framework draws on middle-range theoretical insights from affective polarization, negative partisanship, social sorting, and moral division. Our findings suggest that higher education students in Lund and Freiburg experience AP in interpersonal relationships through a politically homogeneous social environment, setting boundaries toward the out-group, and using apolitical cues to infer political affiliation in everyday life. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Apeloig, Alma LU and Fellert, Jette Maria LU
supervisor
organization
course
STVK12 20261
year
type
M2 - Bachelor Degree
subject
keywords
Affective Polarization, Multiparty Systems, Higher Education Students, Sweden, Germany
language
English
id
9227379
date added to LUP
2026-06-16 15:08:36
date last changed
2026-06-16 15:08:36
@misc{9227379,
  abstract     = {{In recent years, affective polarization has become an increasingly prominent topic in political science research due to growing interest in the emotional dimensions of political division and their implications for democracies. Affective polarization refers to a form of political polarization, where individuals feel positively toward their own political group and negatively toward the opposing political group. Despite growing research on affective polarization, qualitative research on its manifestation within multiparty contexts remains limited. This thesis is a qualitative two-case study based on semi-structured interviews with higher education students in Freiburg and Lund, examining how they experience affective polarization in everyday life. The theoretical framework draws on middle-range theoretical insights from affective polarization, negative partisanship, social sorting, and moral division. Our findings suggest that higher education students in Lund and Freiburg experience AP in interpersonal relationships through a politically homogeneous social environment, setting boundaries toward the out-group, and using apolitical cues to infer political affiliation in everyday life.}},
  author       = {{Apeloig, Alma and Fellert, Jette Maria}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Living in a Bubble: Students’ Experiences of Affective Polarization. A Two-Case Interview Study of Students in Lund and Freiburg}},
  year         = {{2026}},
}