Grad - Wojcieszak

Abstract:

May deliberation on a contentious political issue increase polarization or intensify conflicts between oppositional factions?  Drawing on quasi experimental data from participants in structured, moderated and heterogeneous face-to-face deliberations on sexual minority rights in Poland (n = 182) and using Structural Equation Modeling, this study shows that disagreement perceived during deliberations mobilizes strongly opinionated participants to public and potentially confrontational political actions around sexual minority rights in Poland.  Perceived disagreement also evokes the sense of collective action frame among those participants, and – through evoked collective action frame – further mobilizes them to both communicative and public and potentially confrontational actions.  Theoretical and practical implications for deliberation, social movements and ideologically polarized societies are discussed.