{"title":"Regional inequalities as drivers of affective polarization","authors":"L. Bettarelli, Emilie van Haute","doi":"10.1080/21681376.2022.2117077","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT This paper investigates divergences in levels of affective polarization across Belgian regions around the 2019 elections. Elaborating on the relative deprivation theory, we analyse the role of current and long-term socio-economic regional inequalities and of geographical distance separating regions. Empirically, we aggregate individual-level measures of affective polarization at the Belgian NUTS-3 level and use a gravity approach to explore the determinants of regional divergences. Our results show that regional variations in affective polarization are best explained by a current rural–urban divide and by how regions have performed economically in the last years. We also show that geographical proximity matters and reinforces the effects of economic deprivation.","PeriodicalId":46370,"journal":{"name":"Regional Studies Regional Science","volume":"9 1","pages":"549 - 570"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7000,"publicationDate":"2022-09-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"1","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Regional Studies Regional Science","FirstCategoryId":"1085","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1080/21681376.2022.2117077","RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":null,"ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"GEOGRAPHY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 1
Abstract
ABSTRACT This paper investigates divergences in levels of affective polarization across Belgian regions around the 2019 elections. Elaborating on the relative deprivation theory, we analyse the role of current and long-term socio-economic regional inequalities and of geographical distance separating regions. Empirically, we aggregate individual-level measures of affective polarization at the Belgian NUTS-3 level and use a gravity approach to explore the determinants of regional divergences. Our results show that regional variations in affective polarization are best explained by a current rural–urban divide and by how regions have performed economically in the last years. We also show that geographical proximity matters and reinforces the effects of economic deprivation.
期刊介绍:
Regional Studies, Regional Science is an interdisciplinary open access journal from the Regional Studies Association, first published in 2014. We particularly welcome submissions from authors working on regional issues in geography, economics, planning, and political science. The journal features a streamlined peer-review process and quick turnaround times from submission to acceptance. Authors will normally receive a decision on their manuscript within 60 days of submission.