Jochem Vanagt
@jochemvanagt.bsky.social
410 followers 250 following 21 posts
PhD Candidate in Political Science | KU Leuven & University of Antwerp @m2p-antwerp.bsky.social | affective polarisation, radical-right voting & democratic support | https://jochemvanagt.github.io
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jochemvanagt.bsky.social
🚨 New publication out @jeppjournal.bsky.social w/ Katrin Praprotnik @luanarusso.bsky.social @markuswagner.bsky.social

We show that coalition signals from the mainstream right to the radical right shift, rather than reduce, existing political divisions.

Open-access article: doi.org/10.1080/1350...
Reposted by Jochem Vanagt
bart-maes.bsky.social
Politicians don’t just care how many people hold an opinion — they care how good that opinion is. In our new (open-access) article in West European Politics, based on survey data from 900+ politicians across 11 countries, we show: quality > quantity. Read more: doi.org/10.1080/0140...
jochemvanagt.bsky.social
Thank you for the kind words!
jochemvanagt.bsky.social
Finally: even in places with a strong cordon sanitaire, coalition signals still mattered. Elite-led boundaries against the radical right seem to erode (very) quickly. Indeed, we find evidence that among the mainstream in 🇩🇪🇧🇪 (strong cordon sanitaire), attitudes are not that different from 🇪🇸🇦🇹.
jochemvanagt.bsky.social
So, potential inclusion of the radical right does not reduce polarization overall, but is a double-edged sword: while it decreases the affective gap between the mainstream right & radical right, it deepens the rift between the mainstream left and mainstream right.
jochemvanagt.bsky.social
Key findings:
✔️ Center-right supporters become 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙩𝙤𝙡𝙚𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙩 and 𝙡𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝙝𝙤𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙡𝙚 toward the radical right.
✔️ Radical-right supporters become 𝙡𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝙝𝙤𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙡𝙚 toward the center right.
❗ But: center-left supporters also seem to grow 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙝𝙤𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙡𝙚 toward the center right!
jochemvanagt.bsky.social
All over Europe, mainstream parties face a dilemma: exclude the radical right or cooperate with them. Using pre-registered survey experiments in 🇩🇪🇧🇪🇪🇸🇦🇹 (N = 5,594), we examine the effect of coalition signals from the center right to the radical right on affective polarization and political tolerance.
jochemvanagt.bsky.social
🚨 New publication out @jeppjournal.bsky.social w/ Katrin Praprotnik @luanarusso.bsky.social @markuswagner.bsky.social

We show that coalition signals from the mainstream right to the radical right shift, rather than reduce, existing political divisions.

Open-access article: doi.org/10.1080/1350...
Reposted by Jochem Vanagt
markuskollberg.bsky.social
Happy to see that my paper w\ @jochemvanagt.bsky.social now has issue- and page-numbers.

Also check-out our post @ecprtheloop.bsky.social to learn more about why unsuccessful coalitions - like those that we see across the EU right now - do not mitigate polarization!
theloop.ecpr.eu/coalition-go...
Reposted by Jochem Vanagt
aalrababah.bsky.social
🚨 New working paper alert 🚨
Missing summer — and the Tour de France? Don’t worry, we got you covered. 🚴‍♂️🚴‍♂️🚴‍♂️
In this paper, we show that being on the route of Tour de France reduces far-right voting. osf.io/preprints/so...
Reposted by Jochem Vanagt
eelcoharteveld.bsky.social
What do citizens imagine their political opponents to be like? Polarization is real, but it also lives in our heads, fueled by stereotypes. We asked people in 🇧🇷, 🇬🇧, 🇩🇪 & 🇵🇱 to describe opponents in their own words.

With @jnareal.bsky.social, @markuswagner.bsky.social & @piotrmarczynski.bsky.social 👇
OSF
doi.org
Reposted by Jochem Vanagt
markuskollberg.bsky.social
Returning from vacation and looking for a late summer read? @ivobantel.bsky.social and I got you covered!

In our new @wepsocial.bsky.social paper, we assess how mainstream parties rhetorically create an affect-based "common front" against the radical right.

www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
Reposted by Jochem Vanagt
valentimvicente.bsky.social
We have a new paper out in @jepsjournal.bsky.social, with @laiabalcells.bsky.social, @sergisme.bsky.social and Ethan vanderWilden.

We test a number of experimental treatments aimed at strengthening social norms against radical-right support, but find mostly null results.

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Reposted by Jochem Vanagt
wepsocial.bsky.social
Online first: "Defending democracy: investigating the efficacy of elite democratic defence in a competitive information environment" by @jmvanlit.bsky.social & @mauritsmeijers.bsky.social

doi.org/10.1080/0140...

#Academicsky #Polisky
Abstract of the article "Defending democracy: investigating the efficacy of elite democratic defence in a competitive information environment" by Joep van Lit and Maurits Meijers. Published online first in West European Politics. Figure 1, displaying the experimental block in the survey. Figure 3, displaying the point estimates and 95% confidence intervals from OLS regressions on three different models. Figure 4, displaying the marginal means with 95% confidence intervals of the effects of different types of democratic defence.
Reposted by Jochem Vanagt
lindestals.bsky.social
📢 New publication: we draw on unique data from 16- and 17-year-old Belgian adolescents who were eligible to vote in the 2024 European elections, and show that low trust in order and representative institutions is linked to protest and radical voting. @dieterstiers.bsky.social @annakern.bsky.social
Political Trust and Electoral Behavior Among 16- and 17-Year-Old First-Time-Voters in Belgium
Abstract. Citizens’ electoral behaviors tend to persist over time and are driven by long-standing political attitudes acquired during the formative years o
academic.oup.com
Reposted by Jochem Vanagt
versteegenluca.bsky.social
🚨Preprint alert🚨

How does affective polarization change democracy? Lots of pubs study how AP affects trust, democratic norms, inter-partisan attitudes, and participation.

We (w/ @polpsychjoe.bsky.social, @lilymasonphd.bsky.social) examine a vital assumption this research seems to rely on:
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Reposted by Jochem Vanagt
mauritsmeijers.bsky.social
🧵 Hiring 2 PhDs in political science!

Join my ERC project DEMO-LIES
@uantwerpen.be
🇧🇪
We study how politicians accuse each other of lying/disinfo — and how citizens react: Does it erode trust? Polarize? Mobilize? 🧠🗳️

💥 4-yr fully funded
📅 Start: Oct/Nov 2025
🗓️ Deadline: 21 Aug

Details + apply 👇
Doctoral scholarship holders in political science | University of Antwerp
YUFE vacancies
www.uantwerpen.be
Reposted by Jochem Vanagt
rdassonneville.bsky.social
I'm recruiting 2 PhD researchers to work with me on a project studying how social groups influence vote choices!

Info on the position and how to apply 👉 www.kuleuven.be/personeel/jo...

Please share with interested students who would like to move to beautiful Leuven!
2 PhD positions in Electoral behavior
2 PhD positions to research how social group memberships become connected to vote choices
www.kuleuven.be