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Citation

The Antecedents and Manifestations of Political Polarization in Visual Media: Key Questions and Future Directions

Author:
Mukerjee, Subhayan; Shen, Cuihua
Publication:
Political Communication
Year:
2025

In this article, we argue for a deeper integration of visual media into the study of political polarization, suggesting that visual content serves as both a driver and reflection of ideological, affective, and perceived divides in society. We propose that analyzing visual elements such as political figures, symbols, and aesthetics can enrich our understanding of how polarized attitudes evolve and are reinforced across digital platforms. We highlight recent advances in computational methods that make it possible to study visual content at scale, allowing for new insights into the role of visuals in amplifying intergroup biases and societal divides. This framework underscores the value of multimodal approaches in political communication research and identifies key research questions to more fully capture the complex dynamics of polarization in today’s media ecosystem.