Did the media create political polarization?
In this week’s episode of Politics In Question, Danna Young joins Julia and Lee to consider whether the media is responsible for our polarized politics. Young is an Associate Professor in the Department of Communication at the University of Delaware, where she conducts research on political media effects, public opinion, political satire, and the psychology of political humor. She is the author of Irony and Outrage: The Polarized Landscape of Rage, Fear, and Laughter in the United States (Oxford University Press, 2019).
Is the media responsible for the dysfunctional status quo? To what extent do conservative and liberal outlets shape how we understand politics? Does polarization pre-date the current media environment? Is partisan outrage manufactured? Or does it represent real disagreements between conservatives and liberals? These are some of the questions Danna, Lee, and Julia discuss on this week’s episode.