Comparative Politics

B13(b) - Fairness, Negativity, and Public Perception in a Changing Political Landscape

Date: Jun 4 | Time: 01:45pm to 03:15pm | Location:

Chair/Président/Présidente : Yaokun Shen (GW Policy Perspectives)

Discussant/Commentateur/Commentatrice : Feo Snagovsky (University of Alberta)

Discussant/Commentateur/Commentatrice : Cristine de Clercy (University of Western Ontario)

PERCEPTION OF FAIRNESS IN ENERGY TRANSITION: CONCEPTUAL REFINEMENT: Huong Le (University of Alberta), Lori Thorlakson (University of Alberta)
Abstract: The threat of climate change, coupled with the current affordability crisis, underscores the imperative and urgency of a global energy transition. In addition to technological advancements, social acceptance of green energy sources and policies, a willingness to pay additional burdens and a desire to adopt new energy behaviors are principle to smoothly transition to a cleaner energy system. Such acceptance and willingness to change cannot be implemented without considering fairness issues. Research on perception of fairness is presently fragmented across various disciplines, such as energy justice, climate justice, environmental justice, and social justice. Divergent conceptualizations of fairness and methods of measuring perception of fairness both within and across these disciplines impede the understanding and comparison of empirical findings from different research traditions. Using case studies of Alberta, this critical literature review identifies and categorizes the contemporary fairness debates in energy transition and their political underpinnings. By mapping these debates onto theoretical frameworks in political science and energy social science, this paper clarifies and expands upon the conceptual dimensions of fairness central to navigating a just energy transition.

Sticking to Issues or Getting Personal? Negativity and Permanent Campaigns in Partisan Communication on X in Belgium: Lucas Kins (Université libre de Bruxelles), Caroline Close (Université libre de Bruxelles)
Abstract: Campaign digitalization, and more specifically the widespread adoption of social by political elites, has transformed the relationship between political actors, the media, and citizens. This shift has led to the generalization of “permanent” campaigns, where the distinction between electoral and non-electoral periods blurs, and political actors continuously strive to dominate the media agenda. Social media platforms enable political to bypass the traditional media gatekeeping function, and potentially influence the agenda, fostering an environment conducive to negative campaigning, which describes the attacks between political opponents, but remains understudied in party-centered contexts. This paper explores the prevalence and nature of negative campaigning on X in Belgium, a multiparty and consociational democracy. We focus on three key aspects of the behavior of both ‘pillar’, core parties and their populist and non-populist challengers: the propensity of core parties to engage in negative campaigning comp

Canada and the Comparative Politics of an Increasingly Angry World: Jessica Burch (Simon Fraser University), Eline de Rooij (Simon Fraser University)
Abstract: This paper uses a spatiotemporal autoregressive distributed lag (STADL) model to explore comparative trends in anger through space and time, focusing on Canada's place in an increasingly angry world. Worldwide levels of anger have increased to a statistically significant degree over time, but this overall trend masks considerable heterogeneity. The role of political and economic factors in creating these differences between countries is discussed.

Global Attitudes and Responses to Online Hate Speech: Clareta Treger (University Of Toronto), Thomas Bergeron (University Of Toronto), Christopher Cochrane (University Of Toronto), Ron Levi (University Of Toronto)
Abstract: As online hate speech proliferates on social media with growing intensity, it has become a critical global concern with serious societal and political implications. However, little is known about user perceptions of hate speech, the individual factors influencing exposure to it, and the actions users are willing to take to counter it. This study addresses these gaps using data from a 2023 survey spanning 21 countries (N = 21,925). Our findings reveal significant cross-national differences in reported encounters with hate speech, with users in developing countries reporting higher exposure than those in developed nations. Facebook emerged as the platform most frequently associated with hate speech incidents. We also find that users generally report reluctance to take action, with the most common responses being blocking or reporting offensive content and users. This study provides a comparative perspective on user engagement with online hate speech, highlighting that challenges in addressing hate speech may stem from both identification issues and user unwillingness to intervene.