When debates break apart: discursive polarization as a multi-dimensional divergence emerging in and through communication

IF 4.7 1区文学 Q1 COMMUNICATION

Communication Theory Pub Date : 2023-06-29 DOI:10.1093/ct/qtad012

M. Brüggemann, Hendrik Meyer

引用次数: 0

Abstract

“Polarization” is a common diagnosis of the state of contemporary societies. Yet, few studies theorize or systematically analyze how polarization evolves in media content. To guide future empirical studies, we introduce a public sphere perspective on polarization. Discursive Polarization, defined as divergence emerging in public communication, may disrupt the public sphere if left untamed. Its analysis should combine the study of ideological polarization (increasing disagreement about issues) and affective polarization (growing disaffection between groups) as evolving in communication. Both processes may be measured in media content. We propose a framework combining the study of journalism and digital communication networks, investigating (1) content and (2) networked interactions regarding both political issues and social identity formation. The exploration of how the public sphere is disrupted in the process of Discursive Polarization may help us to understand the wider social phenomenon of polarization: before societies break apart, debates break apart.

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当辩论破裂时：话语两极分化是一种在交流中和通过交流出现的多维分歧

“两极分化”是对当代社会状况的常见诊断。然而，很少有研究对媒体内容两极分化的演变进行理论化或系统化分析。为了指导未来的实证研究，我们引入了关于两极分化的公共领域视角。话语极化，定义为公共传播中出现的分歧，如果不加以控制，可能会扰乱公共领域。它的分析应该结合对意识形态两极分化（对问题的分歧日益增加）和情感两极分化（群体之间日益不满）的研究，因为它们在传播中不断演变。这两个过程都可以在媒体内容中进行测量。我们提出了一个结合新闻和数字传播网络研究的框架，调查（1）内容和（2）关于政治问题和社会身份形成的网络互动。探讨公共领域在话语两极分化过程中是如何被破坏的，可能有助于我们理解更广泛的两极分化社会现象：在社会分裂之前，辩论就会分裂。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Communication Theory COMMUNICATION-

CiteScore

9.00

自引率

2.70%

发文量

期刊介绍： Communication Theory is an international forum publishing high quality, original research into the theoretical development of communication from across a wide array of disciplines, such as communication studies, sociology, psychology, political science, cultural and gender studies, philosophy, linguistics, and literature. A journal of the International Communication Association, Communication Theory especially welcomes work in the following areas of research, all of them components of ICA: Communication and Technology, Communication Law and Policy, Ethnicity and Race in Communication, Feminist Scholarship, Global Communication and Social Change, Health Communication, Information Systems, Instructional/Developmental Communication, Intercultural Communication, Interpersonal Communication, Journalism Studies, Language and Social Interaction, Mass Communication, Organizational Communication, Philosophy of Communication, Political Communication, Popular Communication, Public Relations, Visual Communication Studies, Children, Adolescents and the Media, Communication History, Game Studies, Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Studies, and Intergroup Communication. The journal aims to be inclusive in theoretical approaches insofar as these pertain to communication theory.