Polarisation

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.

»[Polarisation offers] excellent sociology in the sense of an illuminating clarification of things inspired by Luhmann.« Hannah Schmidt-Ott, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung

»An important contribution to the debate, highly readable.« Till Schmidt, wochentaz

»[Kumkar has] an impressive gift for illustrating theoretically highly complex subjects with clear examples … A challenging book that is well worth reading.« Mladen Gladić, DIE WELT

»[ Polarisation is] an analytically crsytal clear essay.« Peter Laudenbach, Süddeutsche Zeitung

»If you open yourself up to it, the many reflexive loops of Polarisation offer a highly effective programme of intellectual ›loosening up exercises‹«. Matthias Deuring, Augsburger Allgemeine