Marlena Bonin

  Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences | Bachelor Global Studies

Manifestations of Affective Polarization in Protests: A Multimodal Qualitative Inquiry of In-Group/Out-Group Affective-Discursive Practices during the 2025 German Anti-Right-Wing Protests

Marlena's elevator pitch
Situated within a global rise of democratic backsliding, this interdisciplinary thesis examines how affective polarization was expressed and experienced within the anti-right-wing protests in Germany surrounding the 2025 national elections. Drawing on (auto-)ethnographic fieldwork, audiovisual recordings, and interviews, it analyzes how young participants framed and felt about both fellow protestors and AFD voters. The findings, presented on an interactive multimodal website, reveal intense affective polarization and social sorting in protest expressions. However, off-site interviews show nuances and occasionally contradict the supported slogans and chants. The thesis demonstrates how protest environments can amplify emotions and reinforce social boundaries, reshaping how individuals understand political opponents and emphasizing the implications for civic dialogue.