Polarization Research Lab

PRL welcomes postdoc applications at Dartmouth for 2026-2027. Work with @seanjwestwood.bsky.social & @ylelkes.bsky.social on projects like www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/... and elite rhetoric analysis using americaspoliticalpulse.com/elites/
Pls apply by Jan 5 on Interfolio 🙏 apply.interfolio.com/175722

Very few Americans support actual political violence. Many more support intimidation. Almost no one thinks it’s appropriate to kill your political opponents, but many more would dox them.

Very few Americans support actual political violence.

Many more support intimidation.

Almost no one thinks it’s appropriate to kill your political opponents, but many more would dox them.

Read the latest: goodauthority.org/news/very-fe...

Research Shows There Are No Easy Fixes to Political Hatred

A non-partisan team has found reducing polarization and “partisan animosity” is remarkably difficult. “Without systemic change, America’s political divisions will only deepen,” says Annenberg associate professor Yphtach Lelkes.

Preprint: Levels of Office and Voter Accountability for Democratic Norm Violations

⚠️New paper fothcoming in POQ! ⚠️
With @marcjacob.bsky.social and @seanjwestwood.bsky.social, we worried about norm-violating local politicians rising to higher office. We tested when voters defect from such politicians in local, state and federal races.
osf.io/preprints/ps...
🧵...

Polarization Research Lab Research on the origins, effects, limits and solutions to polarization

Job 🚨! PRL is looking for a postdoc based at Dartmouth College for next year. Candidates should bring advanced data skills and enjoy writing. Read more about our work at polarizationresearchlab.org and apply through Interfolio by February 15, 2026: apply.interfolio.com/175722

Research Shows There Are No Easy Fixes to Political Hatred | Faculty of Arts and Sciences Study finds that interventions to reduce partisan animosity have fleeting effects.

“This isn’t a problem that can be fixed at the grassroots level alone.” Research from @prl.bsky.social, co-led by professor @seanjwestwood.bsky.social, finds most attempts to reduce partisan animosity are modest and fleeting. Structural reform and civic education are key to lasting depolarization.

Is the US on the brink of a new era of political violence? – podcast The murder of political activist Charlie Kirk has prompted fears about rising levels of political violence in the US after a number of high-profile assassinations and attempted assassinations of polit...

"We are collecting data continuously so we have a baseline understanding of what level of support for political violence exists in our country.” Professor @seanjwestwood.bsky.social, director of @prl.bsky.social, discusses political violence in the U.S. on @theguardian.com’s Science Weekly podcast.

New in PNAS with @seanjwestwood.bsky.social and @ylelkes.bsky.social: Why depolarization is hard: Evaluating attempts to decrease partisan animosity in America

@prl.bsky.social @pnas.org

www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...

10 Political Violence Experts on What Comes Next for America Can America escape the spiral of political violence after Charlie Kirk’s killing?

“The core problem is not a widespread desire for violence, but a profound misperception of the other side.” Professor @seanjwestwood.bsky.social, director of the @prl.bsky.social, reflects on a seeming cycle of political violence in America, via @politico.com.

‘Fascist’ Ended Up on an Assassin’s Bullet. It Has Become Common Currency in Politics. Democrats and Republicans alike call each other fascist. That is unlikely to stop after the killing of Charlie Kirk.

A bullet casing found after the killing of Charlie Kirk had an inscription reading, “Hey fascist! Catch!” Charges of fascism have become a fixture of the nation’s political dialogue.

Why We’re Not Doomed to a Cycle of Violence After Charlie Kirk Experts on political violence say Charlie Kirk’s assassination alone won’t tear the country apart. Here’s what would.

Experts on political violence say Charlie Kirk’s assassination alone won’t tear the country apart. Here’s what would.

10 Political Violence Experts on What Comes Next for America Can America escape the spiral of political violence after Charlie Kirk’s killing?

Can America escape its spiral of political violence? 10 experts in the US and abroad give their takes on what comes next👇

Democracy Fellows Explore How to Bridge the Partisan Divide | Dartmouth

PRL brought 10 Dartmouth undergraduates to DC in June to introduce them to people and orgs across the political spectrum working for democracy. Many thanks to those who hosted us!!

home.dartmouth.edu/news/2025/07...

📢 The final piece of my dissertation is out in @polbehavior.bsky.social! Does being an ideologue matter for political disagreement—beyond how many issues are involved? It does, shaping both animosity and how people engage. 🧵https://doi.org/10.1007/s11109-025-10049-z

Partisanship swamps other factors in determining support for recent policies, even when they seemingly implicate traditional support for free expression.

Data from @thefireorg.bsky.social's April 2025 National Speech Index, part of @prl.bsky.social's fantastic national panel.

Negative partisanship is a helluva drug:

Up until a few months ago, liberal and conservative Americans held pretty much the same views on free trade.

Now, not so much…

More partisan atttitudinal asymmetries -- since the presidential election, Democrats' national pride/trust in government has collapsed, while Republicans' values have only edged upwards.

Data from @prl.bsky.social

Yphtach Lelkes Awarded 2025 Andrew Carnegie Fellowship

Prof. @ylelkes.bsky.social has been awarded a 2025 Andrew Carnegie Fellowship. Lelkes, co-director of @prl.bsky.social, will study how political hostility is shaped in an overloaded information environment.

Dr. Sean Westwood studies how political hatred takes root—and why Americans may still be more committed to democracy than we think.

A powerful look at polarization, resilience, and the future of civic life.

🎧 pod.link/1519411454

Hiring Visit the post for more.

Pre-doc job🚨 PRL is looking for a post-graduate associate (pre-doc) researcher to join our team at Dartmouth studying elections and democracy. Have expertise in data science or political science? Pls apply and share!
polarizationresearchlab.org/hiring/

While liberals have grown far more supportive of free trade during Trump's presidnecy, conservatives are unmoved.

Data from @prl.bsky.social

🚨Why do masses support democratic backsliding?🚨
A new @AJPS_Editor paper with Yotam Margalit, @liorsheffer.bsky.social and Itamar Yakir explores this question in the Israeli context. Our findings emphasize the role of leader attachment and affective polarization.
doi.org/10.1111/ajps...

In a new report using our global survey data, we show other democracies didn't expect Trump would win and were concerned about their country's relationship with the US under a Trump presidency, with only Israelis expressing optimism. Full report: prlpublic.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/reports/repo...

BJPolS academic abstract discussing the implications of democratic deconsolidation and voter behavior on political culture in Poland.

NEW -

The Demand Side of Democratic Backsliding: How Divergent Understandings of Democracy Shape Political Choice - cup.org/4hy5Nrf

- Natasha Wunsch, @marcjacob.bsky.social & Laurenz Derksen

#OpenAccess

We're grateful to be a @carnegiecorp.bsky.social grantee studying how elected officials are driving polarization among Americans and capturing democratic attitudes over time.

🚨New data! Starting in February, PRL began asking Americans through our weekly @today.yougov.com survey about core issues and values including politics in the workplace, immigration, free speech, the economy, and tariffs. Track it all on our pulse site!
americaspoliticalpulse.com/citizens/us-...

⚠️Job alert⚠️ PRL is accepting applications for a Data Scientist at Dartmouth College. Manage all data-related activities for the Lab. Skills in statistical analysis, machine learning and NLP, API integration, and web development. Read more and apply here: searchjobs.dartmouth.edu/postings/77313

It's not just economic perceptions -- partisans' generalized trust in government has swung since November. The share of Democrats who feel national pride has been cut in half!

Data from @prl.bsky.social

Attitudes toward backsliding have shifted. In Aug '24, when we asked Americans if they felt the country was headed toward the end of democracy, Rs were much more likely to be worried. With new results in the first weeks of the Trump presidency, Ds are now the resigned party and Rs are optimistic.

Out now in Nature Human Behaviour: Our 68-country #survey on public attitudes to #science 📣
It shows: People still #trust scientists and support an active role of scientists in society and policy-making. #OpenAccess available here: www.nature.com/articles/s41... @natureportfolio.bsky.social
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