Hans Noel on Our Current Age of Increased Polarization

On this episode of Virtual Sentiments, Kristen Collins interviews Hans Noel, an Associate Professor in the Government Department at Georgetown University, on the increasingly polarized nature of politics in the current age. Noel begins by examining the nature of polarization and the many ways in which it manifests itself. He then points to changes in polarization since the 20th century and, while noting the effects of social media, offers a multicausal explanation for its increase, particularly among those who are most politically engaged. Additionally, Collins and Noel tackle the issue of affective polarization, which leads to stronger emotions and disliking of those with different political opinions from our own.