Political Behavior and the Emotional Citizen ― Participation and Reaction in Turkey

This book studies the role of emotions, such as anger, anxiety, and enthusiasm, across various domains of political behavior in Turkey. The author considers how emotions affect evaluations of leadership performance, levels of intolerance, likelihood of following and participating in politics, perceived threats from terrorism, and electoral decisions, including vote choice. Using a nationally representative survey and experimental data, this study empirically analyses the causal associations among the primary factors explaining the Turkish electorate’s political attitudes and behaviours. The book will be of particular interest to academics, university students, and policymakers seeking to learn more about contemporary Turkish politics amid the recent political and social turmoil that has affected all parts of this society.

Cengiz Erisen is Research Associate in the Center on Democratic Performance at Binghamton University, USA, and Associate Professor in the Department of Political Science and International Relations at Yeditepe University, Turkey. He is a recipient of two prestigious awards for young scholars in Turkey. His research interests include political psychology, comparative political behaviour, and public opinion analysis across diverse contexts. His work has appeared in numerous journals, including Political Psychology, European Union Politics, Journal of Common Market Studies, American Politics Research, Political Research Quarterly, and Turkish Studies. He has also co-edited a book on democracy in Turkey and guest edited journal special issues on political psychology.