And blame is all you need, my foe: How Differentiated Emotional Threats Escalate Political Discourse.

• In Event: 40420 - Section on Political Sociology Roundtables
  In Refereed Roundtable (60 minute): Table 9: Speech in Politics

Abstract

This research presents a linguistic analysis of discursive escalation, based on an analysis of 100,000 words of recorded group discussions among Jewish-Israeli students about political issues over a three-year period. Findings show how escalation is driven by absolutist argumentation and emotional blame, while de-escalation is enabled by subjective reflection and self-accountability. Two dominant trajectories are identified: one where moral critique provokes perceived group betrayal (Morality → Security), and another where expressions of fear are met with moral disqualification (Security → Morality). These dynamics reveal how escalation unfolds not as rupture but as a cumulative, language-driven process. The study offers a framework for analyzing and intervening in polarized political dialogue rooted in lived civic discourse.

Authors

• Yael Ben-David, New York University

• Orly Idan, Reichman University