1st Edition

The Social Psychology of Everyday Politics

Edited By Caroline Howarth, Eleni Andreouli Copyright 2017
    304 Pages 2 B/W Illustrations
    by Routledge

    304 Pages 2 B/W Illustrations
    by Routledge

    The Social Psychology of Everyday Politics examines the ways in which politics permeates everyday life, from the ordinary interactions we have with others to the sense of belonging and identity developed within social groups and communities. Discrimination, prejudice, inclusion and social change, politics is an on-going process that is not solely the domain of the elected and the powerful.

    Using a social and political psychological lens to examine how politics is enacted in contemporary societies, the book takes an explicitly critical approach that places political activity within collective processes rather than individual behaviors. While the studies covered in the book do not ignore the importance of the individual, they underscore the need to examine the role of culture, history, ideology and social context as integral to psychological processes. Individuals act, but they do not act in isolation from the groups and societies in which they belong.

    Drawing on extensive international research, with contributions from leaders in the field as well as emerging scholars, the book is divided into three interrelated parts which cover:

    • The politics of intercultural relations
    • Political agency and social change
    • Political discourse and practice

    Offering insights into how psychology can be applied to some of the most pressing social issues we face, this will be fascinating reading for students of psychology, political science, sociology and cultural studies, as well as anyone working in the area of public policy.

    Preface: Everyday Politics
    Caroline Howarth and Eleni Andreouli

    Part 1: The Politics of Intercultural Relations

    Chapter 1: Everyday multiculturalism as critical nationalism

    Caroline Howarth

    Chapter 2: Political leadership and social diversity: The everyday politics of race and gender

    Martha Augoustinos, Peta Callaghan, Jasmin Sorrentino and Anna Worth

    Chapter 3: Everyday politics, everyday racism: Censure and management of racist talk

    Stephen Gibson

    Chapter 4: Essence Politics: Identity work and stereotyping in inter-group relations,

    Wolfgang Wagner, Maaris Raudsepp, Peter Holtz and Ragini Sen

    Chapter 5: The social and political psychology of globalisation and global identities

    Ilka Gleibs and Geetha Reddy

    Commentary on Part 1: Politics, identities and social representations in multicultural societies

    Xenia Chryssochoou

    Part 2: Political Agency and Social Change

    Chapter 6: Citizenship and social psychology: an analysis of constructions of Greek citizenship

    Eleni Andreouli, Irini Kadianaki and Maria Xenitidou

    Chapter 7: Identity, Emotion and Mobilisation

    Stephen Reicher and Yashpal Jogdand

    Chapter 8: Resistance and transformation in postcolonial contexts

    Shose Kessi and Floretta Boonzaier

    Chapter 9: Everyday reconciliation

    Sandra Obradovic and Caroline Howarth

    Chapter 10: Climate change activism between weak and strong environmentalism: advocating social change with moderate argumentation strategies?

    Paula Castro, Mehemet Uzelgun and Raquel Bertoldo

    Commentary on Part 2: Culture, narrative and the everyday dynamics of identity

    Helen Haste

    Part 3: Political discourse and practice

    Chapter 11: The precariat, everyday life and objects of despair

    Darrin Hodgetts, Shiloh Groot, Emily Garden and Kerry Chamberlain

    Chapter 12: Public Opinion and the problem of information

    Susan Condor

    Chapter 13: Everyday politics and the extreme right: Lay explanations of the electoral

    performance of the neo-Nazi political party ‘Golden Dawn’ in Greece

    Lia Figgou

    Chapter 14: Political beliefs and political behaviour

    Isabelle Goncalves-Portelinha, Christian Staerklé and Guy Elcheroth

    Chapter 15: Social Policy in everyday contexts

    Jenevieve Mannell

    Commentary on Part 3: Political discourse and practice

    Michelle Fine

    Conclusion: The social psychology of everyday politics: Beyond binaries and

    Banality

    Paul Nesbitt-Larking

    Biography

    Caroline Howarth is Associate Professor in Social Psychology at the London School of Economics and Political Science, University of London, UK.

    Eleni Andreouli is Lecturer in the Department of Psychology at the Open University, UK.

    "The Social Psychology of Everyday Politics is a must for the student and academic bookshelf. With a grounded, perspicuous and engaging style, Caroline Howarth and Eleni Andreouli have gathered together a truly impressive collection of essays by prominent social psychological and political scholars that unravel the significance and power of the politics that permeate our everyday lives." Gail Moloney, Southern Cross University, Australia