In light of recent political events such the Brexit vote and the last elections in the USA, there is growing interest in the study of ideological extremism and polarization. Yet, an important limitation of this line of enquiry is that it has focused mainly on Western countries. Little is known about ideological extremism and polarization outside the West. My talk will discuss my recent research examining ideological extremism and polarization on a global scale, across the different countries of the world. Based on an analysis of the World Value Survey, I have explored which characteristics of a country are conducive of polarization. The results reveal that, in the domain of economics, gender equality, immigration, and left-right self-placement, poorly modernised countries display greater polarization. This observation fits with the notion that polarization flourishes when a country is at an early stage of development. Still, in domains like abortion and divorce, ideological polarization emerged to be greater in highly modernised countries. This occurred because here the population is divided between conservative and liberal positions, while most people in poorly modernised countries converge on conservative views. Altogether, by highlighting the role played by modernization in influencing extremism and polarization, these findings shed light on how these processes work on a global scale. 

If you would like to present your research at a seminar, please contact Ben Seyd.