The Political Psychology of Reaction, Resistance, Engagement and Change: Theoretical Debates and Empirical Investigations

The 2020 Political Psychology Section addresses pressing political phenomena, focusing on reaction, resistance, empowerment and change. It is sponsored by the Political Psychology Standing Group and for the thirteenth year running (since 2005) it brings together scholars from political science, psychology, international relations, sociology and political communication from Europe and the world, who share a common passion: the understanding of psychological determinants of political decision making and action. For our 2020 programme, we invite scholars to explore the political psychological origins, processes and consequences of reaction, resistance, empowerment and change, with theoretical and empirical tools that examine the formation of political preferences, choices and attitudes, the emotional and conflictual politics of our times, issues of identity and nationalism, multiculturalism vs. the politics of exclusion and marginalization, the challenges of extremism and terrorism, the implications of displacement and traumas, and the management of national and international crises. Our Political Psychology section invites theoretically driven empirical research papers from senior and junior international scholars. Our aim is to further discussion and research in political psychology across scientific communities on the above topics. Upon completion of the conference, the authors of selected papers from the panels will be considered to contribute to the second volume of Advances in Global Political Psychology (first volume now published under the title Palgrave Handbook of Global Political Psychology). Section Panels: 1. Reaction, Resentment and Resistance: citizens and the political psychology of passionate times 2. Fake, False, or Polarized: news and the political psychology of (mis)perception 3. Who Shall You Follow? citizens and the political psychology of leadership 4. With Malice towards Some: compassion, hate, and the political psychology of discrimination 5. United We Stand: group identities, attachments, and the political psychology of cohesion 6. Divided We Fall: terrorism, divisions and political psychology at the extremes 7. Survivors of Injury: trauma, displacement and the political psychology of crisis 8. Global Friends and Enemies: the political psychology of international conflict and cooperation