Affective polarization in Latin America
Abstract
Studies on the determinants and consequences of affective polarization have proliferated in the past decade, focusing mostly on the US and Western European countries. Empirical and anecdotal evidence presented in this chapter, however, suggests that such a phenomenon is also prevalent in many Latin American countries, which may have important consequences for the stability and survival of democracy in a region where partisan institutions tend to be weak. In this chapter, we present a critical review of the scant literature on affective polarization in Latin America. We then carefully analyze levels of partisan affective polarization (PAP) and leader affective polarization (LAP) across the region, as two different yet connected levels of analysis that require more attention in future academic research. Our findings in the region indicate that scholars should devote more attention to understanding the causes and consequences of LAP—as opposed to PAP—in contexts where parties and party systems are weak. We conclude by inviting scholars to think 'outside the box' to devise strategies that allow us to conceptualize and measure this phenomenon in developing democracies, as well as by discussing several research avenues that scholars can pursue to advance our understanding of this phenomenon in Latin America.
