The implications of listening during political conversations for democracy

Abstract

There is a dearth of research on listening in the context of political conversation. Yet there is theoretical reason to believe that political listening could be an important pathway toward several democratically important outcomes including increased exposure to difference, mutual understanding, and decreased polarization. Unfortunately, listening in political contexts associated with deeply held moral beliefs and strong social identities may be among the most difficult settings for listening to flourish. On the other hand, listening is reciprocal within dyads and so a foothold of listening could, through subsequent social contagion, have potentially widespread effects. This article will review theory and research on political listening, as well as relevant scholarship on listening outside of the political domain.

Keywords: Deliberation; Discussion; Listening; Polarization; Political conversation.