CEU Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2023
| Author | Chkhetiani, Lia |
|---|---|
| Title | "Us versus Them": Pernicious Political Polarization and Withering Hope for Democracy in Georgia |
| Summary | Political polarization has been actively studied for its detrimental effects on modern democracies. However, the causal mechanism by which polarization causes the decline of democratic institutions is less examined. This thesis aims to address this gap by testing the theory of pernicious polarization, which contends that toxic polarization occurs when political actors deliberately exploit potent cleavages to gain partisan benefits through the cultivated Manichean “Us. Vs. Them” political discourse. A highly polarized political playground allows them to pursue hostile politics, justify oppression of the opponents, and assault political institutions, ultimately leading to democratic backsliding in established democracies or de-democratization in electoral democracies. The thesis objects to gain insights into this causal relationship by studying the previously unexamined case of Georgia - a highly polarized hybrid regime that has witnessed a halt in democratization and exhibited autocratic tendencies in 2018-2023. To this end, the thesis employs a single case study research methodology, in combination with qualitative content analysis, with a particular focus on verbal statements of political actors. The research showed that Georgia experiences signs of pernicious political polarization - political actors perceive each other as existential enemies; political animosity drives them to trespass democratic norms of behavior, primarily in the case of the incumbent, which, motivated to destroy the opposition, abuses the rule of law, electoral integrity, and political liberties. By demonstrating this, the thesis contributes to understanding the causal relationship between political polarization and democratic erosion, bolsters the validity of the theory of pernicious polarization, and provides a comprehensive account of the nature of polarization in Georgia. |
| Supervisor | Bogaards Matthijs |
| Department | Political Science MA |
| Full text | https://www.etd.ceu.edu/2023/chkhetiani_lia.pdf |
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