Join this online panel discussion organised by the Urban Big Data Centre and the UK Political Psychology Conference.

Chair

Catherine Lido, University of Glasgow

Talks

Dr Ashley Weinberg - Political Skills: Real-world Applications and The Clean Air Bill

Political skills are often viewed as taboo and the territory of a minority focused on individual gain. However, it is possible that all of our interactions with the social world are political in some way, seeking to communicate ideas, influence outcomes and hopefully promote desireable change. This brief talk considers how we might be political in ways that are both pro-social and positive - for example in campaigning for clean air for all - in hopes we can consider how to harness political skills for good in all our lives

Antonio Kalentzis - The Psychology of Political Parties and voters: A comparative between 1920-1930 and 2024

Psychological dynamics between political parties and voters by comparing the periods of 1920-1930 and 2024, focusing on economic influences and the rise of far-right parties. Economic instability in both eras, such as the Great Depression and modern globalization challenges, drove voters toward far-right movements. These parties leveraged scapegoating, authoritarianism, and identity politics to gain support. Consistent psychological patterns reveal how economic distress fosters the appeal of far-right ideologies. Insights from this may highlight the enduring allure of such movements and suggest strategies to counter political extremism today.

As history repeats itself in new forms, recognizing these patterns can inform more effective responses to the challenges posed by political extremism and economic instability.

Joel Montgomery, Kent Business School - The context-specific development of political reasoning amongst council leaders

Politics at work is often regarded as negative and illegitimate, yet also essential for the enactment of leadership roles (Ammeter, 2002). Although research has investigated the importance of political behaviour and skill for leadership (Munyon et al., 2015), little is known about why individuals engage in political activity within the workplace. Through a qualitative inductive enquiry, interviewing political workers (30 officers and 30 councillors) in local councils we examine their subjective rationales to shed light on the underlying reasoning that drives leaders to participate in organisational politics. In doing so, we introduce the concept of political reasoning, a contextually-grounded form of political motivation.

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UK Political Psychology Conference

The 6th UK Political Psychology Conference will be held 20-21 June 2024 at the University of Southampton. There are 13 panels, and a keynote address from David Redlawsk (Delaware). The conference will be held in-person and is free to attend. The conference programme, registration details and accommodation options are available via this link

The conference is organised by the Political Psychology sections of the Political Studies Association, the ECPR Political Psychology Standing Group and the British Psychology Society.