Trends in Political Science Research: <i>Affective Polarization</i>

This article provides a systematic review of the literature on affective polarization, emphasizing its emotional, identity-based, and systemic dimensions across diverse political contexts. It examines the current state of research, revealing the phenomenon’s manifestations in both multiparty and two-party systems, and highlights key drivers such as identity dynamics, moral conviction, and media influences. The article identifies significant gaps in conceptual clarity and mitigation strategies, particularly concerning entrenched partisanship. Through the synthesis of various methodological approaches and the provision of a comparative perspective, this work emphasizes the implications of affective polarization on social trust, democratic governance, and political stability, thereby offering actionable insights for scholars and policymakers.