Outrage Overload

A Connors Institute podcast

Outrage BONUS – How Polarization Extends to New Topics – Dino Carpentras

Aired May 1, 2024

Feeling overwhelmed by the constant political firestorms? You’re not alone. In this episode we tackle the head-scratching phenomenon of how seemingly neutral topics can become politicized.

We all know about the heated debates surrounding hot-button issues, but what about something as simple as circles ⭕️. Believe it or not, even that can become a political battleground.

Joining David is Dino Carpentras, a researcher at ETH Zürich, who has been studying the science behind polarization and communication dynamics. Together, they explore research about the surprising ways topics can become politicized and the conditions that create these divides.

Dino Carpentras is a postdoc at the Computational Social Science group at ETH Zürich and is currently working on digital tools for enabling and fostering co-creation. His research revolves around people’s opinions and how they can shape group identity, social interactions and the democratic process.