In person icon Shifting Dynamics of Political Violence: Generational Change, Ideology, and Public Responses

Abstract

Amid growing global concerns over political violence, it has become increasingly vital to comprehend its evolving nature and the broader sociopolitical factors that fuel it. This panel investigates how such violence unfolds across generational and ideological divides, offering a comparative analysis of the underlying drivers of extremism and radicalization. The papers presented delve into ideological motivations, the role of media discourse, and varying forms of radicalization through a variety of rigorous methodologies, including quantitative analysis, experimental research, and automated text analysis. By examining both U.S. and European contexts, the impact of ideologically driven violence—be it far-right, Islamist, or other forms—on public opinion and political polarization is carefully scrutinized. Additionally, by analyzing successful and thwarted plots, exploring media framing, and assessing youth responses to violent events, the panel sheds light on how political violence shapes, and is shaped by, its social and ideological context. This interdisciplinary panel, drawing on insights from criminology, political science, and communication studies, seeks to foster a nuanced dialogue on key findings and their implications for developing future theories, policies, and approaches to countering political violence. Our panel proposal is well-aligned with the primary objectives of the section “The Evolution of Political Violence” by providing a comparative assessment of trends in political violence and its implications in contemporary Western democracies. We propose four papers for the panel, which we believe are important contributions not only to the section but also to the academic and public debates surrounding this issue. The panel's composition is conscientiously balanced in terms of gender, country of origin, and academic seniority, thereby ensuring the representation of a wide range of perspectives. Paper 1 study applies routine activity theory (RAT) to terrorism research, demonstrating that offender, target, and guardian variables significantly influence attack success, with the best predictive accuracy achieved when all three components are considered together. Paper 2 study examines nearly 600 U.S. political extremists and finds that while Gen Z is more likely to engage in violent behavior compared to other generations, factors such as having a radicalized friend or family member and supporting right-wing or Islamist ideologies are stronger predictors of violence. Paper 3 study explores how reports of political and sexual violence by outgroups influence young adolescents' attitudes toward immigration, revealing that scenarios of sexual violence significantly increase anti-immigrant sentiments, highlighting the potential for media and political narratives to shape public opinion and fuel intergroup hostility. Finally Paper 4, study examines how political violence influences public debates and polarisation dynamics by analysing media reactions of political parties to acts of political violence in Spain (ETA, 1975–2010) and Germany (right-wing and Islamist terrorism, 2000–2020).

Title	Details
Explaining Successful Terrorist Attacks	View Paper Details
Gen Z and Political Violence in the United States	View Paper Details
Young and Resilient? Impact of Outgroup Threat on Anti-Immigrant Attitudes Among Adolescents and Young Adults: Experimental Evidence from Germany	View Paper Details
Political Violence and Partisan Reactions on Polarised Debates	View Paper Details
Popular Opinion on Young Climate Nonviolent Action: The Portuguese Social Media Reactions to Sit-In Protests in Lisbon	View Paper Details