Evidence in Polarized Democracies

• In Event: Civic Learning on Campus: Bringing Political Science In Mini-Conference III: The Trouble with Facts: Reimagining the Role of Information in Democracy

Abstract

Ben-porath’s paper will consider the effects of polarization on evidentiary practices. Professional standards of research and evidence are stressed by contemporary realities of polarization. For example, the resurgence of white nationalism is accompanied by a parallel rise of studies that aim to resurrect ‘race science’ studies attesting to innate racial differences. These ‘ghost disciplines,’ which continue to circulate no matter how often their premises are refuted, challenge the capacity of scholarly endeavors to expose and ground true findings. Given that our emotions influence our perceptions and sometimes our capacity to be persuaded by evidence, and given that political emotions run high in polarized times, evidentiary practices need to be reassessed to preserve their professional and epistemic quality.

Author

• Sigal R. Ben-Porath, University of Pennsylvania