Overview

A novel explanation for why politicians insult, accuse, and threaten their opponents, even though voters say they don't like it.Why do politicians engage in nasty politics? Why do they use insult, accusations, intimidation, and in rare cases violence against their domestic political opponents? In Nasty Politics, Thomas Zeitzoff answers these questions by examining this global political trend in the US, Ukraine, and Israel and looking at how key leaders such as Trump, Zelensky, and Netanyahu use it. Drawing on surveys, case studies, in-depth interviews, databases of nasty politics, and large social media datasets, Zeitzoff shows that across all three countries, the public generally doesn't like nasty politics and it increases the threat of political violence. But it can also be a way to signal toughness to voters, which is especially important in threatening times. Featuring a powerful theory of why nastiness takes hold in democratic polities, Nasty Politics highlights how it influences the kinds of politicians who run for office and deepens our understanding for why so many politicians now rely on outsized anger and withering insults for political gain.

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9780197679487

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In Nasty Politics, Zeitzoff explores why some politicians resort to insults, accusations, threats, and incitement of violence, even though the majority of the population finds such behavior repulsive. Drawing from data from the US, Israel, and Ukraine, he shows that 'outsiders and losers' use such rhetoric to gain attention and mobilize the segment of the population that supports it * and that words have consequences. It's hard to imagine a timelier book. * In the first comprehensive account of the causes and consequences of 'nasty politics,' Zeitzoff uses extensive survey and experimental evidence from the US, Ukraine, and Israel to show why politicians use insults, threats, and incitement and why these tactics so often succeed despite the public's ostensible distaste for them. Anyone who wants a better politics should heed these lessons. * Brendan Nyhan, Dartmouth College * Theoretically, Nasty Politics is highly original and has important qualitative and quantitative evidence of the existence and growth of the nasty style. It also outlines in creative ways the public's reactions to this style across three democracies and the implications for democracy. It is written in an accessible and interesting way and is a must read for scholars interested in contentious politics and political psychology. * Shana Kushner Gadarian, Syracuse University *

Author Information

Thomas Zeitzoff is an associate professor in the School of Public Affairs at American University. His research focuses on political violence, social media, and political psychology. His work has appeared in Science Advances, American Political Science Review, American Journal of Political Science, International Organization, Political Psychology, among other journals.

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