Polarisation / Polarisierung
On the Order of Politics
It’s always the others who are polarised
Contemporary debates around »polarisation« are characterised by a central contradiction. While an increasing number of people are worried about an intensification of divisions in society, surveys show that the opinions of the populace are actually not diverging.
After focussing his attention on »alternative facts« in his most recent book, sociologist Nils C. Kumkar now turns his attention to another aspect that distorts our debates about debates. He shows that observations of society...
After focussing his attention on »alternative facts« in his most recent book, sociologist Nils C. Kumkar now turns his attention to another aspect that distorts our debates about debates. He shows that observations of society...
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Contemporary debates around »polarisation« are characterised by a central contradiction. While an increasing number of people are worried about an intensification of divisions in society, surveys show that the opinions of the populace are actually not diverging.
After focussing his attention on »alternative facts« in his most recent book, sociologist Nils C. Kumkar now turns his attention to another aspect that distorts our debates about debates. He shows that observations of society necessarily find instances of polarisation because it is preprogrammed into the political system, with its distinctions between government and opposition, between the governed and the governing. Kumkar argues that polarisation can ultimately not be overcome. The question therefore would be: How can we deal more productively with divisions? Kumkar not only clarifies some of the key elements in discussions around polarisation, but also offers a new explanation for the success of right-wing populism.
After focussing his attention on »alternative facts« in his most recent book, sociologist Nils C. Kumkar now turns his attention to another aspect that distorts our debates about debates. He shows that observations of society necessarily find instances of polarisation because it is preprogrammed into the political system, with its distinctions between government and opposition, between the governed and the governing. Kumkar argues that polarisation can ultimately not be overcome. The question therefore would be: How can we deal more productively with divisions? Kumkar not only clarifies some of the key elements in discussions around polarisation, but also offers a new explanation for the success of right-wing populism.
2025, 290 pages
Persons
Nils C. Kumkar
Author
Nils C. Kumkar, born in 1985, is a sociologist and Research Fellow at the SOCIUM at the University of Bremen. He conducts research into social inequality and political protest. He also writes for publications such as Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung and Jacobin.
Nils C. Kumkar
Author
Nils C. Kumkar, born in 1985, is a sociologist and Research Fellow at the SOCIUM at the University of Bremen. He conducts research into social...
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Year of Publication: 2022
Nils C. KumkarYear of Publication: 2022
Alternative Facts
Expressions like »post-factual« and »alternative facts« are all the rage. They point to a battle about the reality of reality that seems to be fought in many societies.
However, sociologist Nils C. Kumkar looks at these phenomena from a different angle: based on case studies of the controversies surrounding COVID 19, climate change and the size of the audience...