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Pathos vs Logos in Politics: Citizens´ Reactions and Perceptions
André Bächtiger
There is a longstanding debate whether democratic politics is just “theatre” or has - at least occasionally – elements of rational deliberation. This project analyses how different communicative scripts of political actors (emphasizing logos, pathos or both) shape support and legitimacy for their policy proposals in the eyes of the audience (citizens). Using an experimental approach including theatrical performances, this project also zooms on citizen heterogeneity investing how different types of citizens react to different communicative scripts.