Theories of cleavage and polarization

8 important questions on Theories of cleavage and polarization

What are the 3 elements of which a cleavage must consist?

- objective element -> it has to be an issue/concern
- subjective -> individuals have to be aware of it
- institutionalized -> in a movement/political party/union

What were the 4 original cleavage categories?

- center-periphery
- religion-secular
- city-country
- worker-owner

What are reasons for the end of cleavages?

- class identification is on the decline
- secularization
- post-material values
- cognitive voting
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What is the new demarcation-integration cleavage about?

It is about where the tension is, more economical or more cultural. Globalization changes how politics work, due to the integration of markets and cultures, we needed a new cleavage. But are people really aware of it and are they mobilized enough? Just the objective part is not enough

What is the difference between effective and ideological polarization?

- effective -> how people feel towards each other
- ideological -> how they are positioned on the left-right scale -> how far away they are from each other

What new cleavage do they propose against the older, more outdated ones?

Universalism vs. Particularism. It is about identity

What is the theory behind their new cleavage?

- objective conditions are important
- it is about the in and out group
- you have more identities, but it is about which one is most salient
- it is about closeness to a certain identity
- it is measured on the meso-level

What can be said against their article?

They say that there is only 1 positive attitude and more negative, but that does not have to be the case. They do not take everything into account, by mobilizing so much against it, you might make them stronger

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