Negative Partisanship: Polarization or Disaffection?

• In Event: Voters and Parties: Explorations of Polarization & Competence using CSES

Abstract

Negative party identification has been considered “the forgotten side” of partisanship (Medeiros and Noël 2017). This paper uses CSES data to explore variation across time and space in the nature and strength of negative party identification. We propose two alternative conceptualizations of negative partisanship. On the one hand, negative partisanship may be related to affective polarization, with partisans of one party showing increasingly negative feelings towards the other parties (“polarized negative partisanship”). On the other hand, negative partisanship may be a dimension of political disaffection, with citizens showing negative feelings towards all parties generally, including their own (“disaffected negative partisanship”). While the former should be related to polarization along partisan/cleavage divides, the latter should be related to political apathy and indifference. This paper conceptualizes and measures both types of negative partisanship. It explores to what extent these two forms of negative party identification change across time and space drawing on the CSES data. Finally, it also assesses their respective political implications in terms of participation, and satisfaction with democracy. While “disaffected negative partisanship” generally lead to lower participation and satisfaction with democracy, the effects of “polarized negative partisanship” on these variables depend on a person’s status as part of the political majority or minority (e.g. being an election winner or loser).

Authors

• Eva Anduiza, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona

• Enrique Hernández, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona

• Guillem Rico, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona