Description du projet
Une nouvelle approche pour comprendre l’emprise du nationalisme sur la démocratie
À une époque où les fractures au sein des démocraties avancées semblent irréparables, la polarisation toxique alimentée par les identités nationales est une préoccupation croissante. Dans ce contexte, le projet VARNATPOL, financé par le CER, apparaît comme une source d’inspiration. En changeant de paradigme, VARNATPOL cherche à comprendre non seulement la force des attachements nationaux, mais aussi la manière dont les différentes variétés de nationalisme sèment la discorde dans la politique électorale, remettant en cause les idées reçues et offrant une voie vers des sociétés cohésives. Grâce à des méthodes d’enquête innovantes et à des analyses comparatives, VARNATPOL vise à mettre en lumière les relations nuancées entre les identités nationales, les normes démocratiques et les affiliations partisanes. Cette recherche promet de remodeler le discours académique et d’éclairer les débats publics sur les défis auxquels nos sociétés sont confrontées.
Objectif
This project examines how nationalism polarizes the electoral politics of advanced democracies: how it drives us apart and whether it could bring us closer together. Across advanced democracies, concerns over deepening divisions have proliferated in recent years, and national identities have emerged as a prime suspect in driving this polarization. According to the common framework in electoral politics research, this polarization is shaped by a transnational cleavage that has at its core a cultural conflict between national attachments and universalist values. VARNATPOL proposes a different perspective: that the dividing lines structuring our politics are drawn not between those with stronger and weaker national attachments, but rather across groups who subscribe to different varieties of nationalism. To assess how varieties of nationalism shape polarization, VARNATPOL theorizes and empirically investigates how national identities are linked with mass attitudes and commitments to democratic norms, map onto partisan identities, and provide opportunities for political mobilization. VARNATPOL’s theoretical approach calls for a multi-method comparative research design. The first Work Package analyzes novel survey data to investigate how common understandings of nationalism in the public shape partisan divisions, and includes methodological innovations using open-ended survey questions to study national identities. The second Work Package examines how elites differ in their efforts to mobilize support based on appeals to the varieties of nationalism identified in the first Work Package. The third Work Package explores whether elite appeals to national identities shape polarization through their effect on public opinion and partisan hostility. Challenging the common wisdom regarding the ways in which nationalism polarizes the electoral arena, VARNATPOL will contribute not only to academic research but also to public debates about the challenges facing our societies.
Champ scientifique
Mots‑clés
Programme(s)
- HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC) Main Programme
Thème(s)
Régime de financement
HORIZON-ERC - HORIZON ERC GrantsInstitution d’accueil
91904 Jerusalem
Israël