The Psychology of Democracy

Darren G. Lilleker, Billur Aslan Ozgul

"What is a democracy? Why do we form democratic systems? Can democracy survive in an age of distrust and polarization? The Psychology of Democracy explains the psychological underpinnings behind why people engage with and participate in politics. Covering the influence that political campaigns and media play, the book analyses topical and real-world political events including the Trump administration, Brexit, the Arab Spring, and Gezi Park, taking the reader on a journey from engagement with a political news item all the way through to taking to the streets to protest government policy and action. In an age of post-truth and populism, The Psychology of Democracy shows us how a strong and healthy democracy depends upon the feelings and emotions of its citizens, from trust, belonging, empowerment and representation, as much as on electoral processes"--