Intimidation, harassment and violence in politics: the how, why and so what?
Research workshop.
Democracy rests on a clear premise: elected representatives stand, and act for the represented. When harassment and sexism inhibit candidates and officeholders from campaigning and fulfilling their representative duties, electoral integrity, democratic legitimacy, and descriptive and substantial representation are all harmed.
In light of an increased (focus on) harassment in politics, the aim of this workshop is to show the character of intimidation, harassment, and violence in politics, to what extent identity, roles and opinions of candidates and representatives explain variations in the type and intensity of harassment and sexism experienced by candidates and elected representatives, and what are the democratic consequences of intimidation, harassment and violence in politics?
Programme
Wednesday
Room 4.2.26, Department of Political Science, University of Copenhagen.
| 9:00 | Welcome |
| 9:15 |
The character of intimidation, harassment and violence in politics The Gendered Dynamics and Consequences of Political Violence: A Systematic Review of a Research Field by Elin Bjarnegård & Sofia Collignon Threatening Democracy: A Typology of Violence against Politicians by Mona Lena Krook |
| 10:30 | Break |
| 10:45 |
Perceptions and experiences of intimidation, harassment and violence in politics Snowflakes or Tough Cookies? How citizens judge harassment against politicians by Søren Damsbo-Svendsen & Karina Kosiara-Pedersen Violence in the Campaign heat by Julia van Zijl |
| 12:15 | Break |
| 12:45 |
Experiences and explanations of intimidation, harassment and violence in politics I Young & Naïve. Gendered harassment against young politicians by Kosiara-Pedersen, Karina, Christina Fiig & Søren Damsbo-Svendsen Violence against politicians in the Republic of Ireland: exploring variation over time and between local and general elections by Lisa Keenan & Fiona Buckley |
| 14:00 | Break |
| 14:15 |
Experiences and explanations of intimidation, harassment and violence in politics II The Price of Visibility. Investigating the Link Between Politicians’ Visibility and Experiences with Political Violence by Helene Helboe Pedersen & Majbritt Severin-Nielsen Fear without withdrawal: political violence and morality politics in Germany by Sofia Collignon & Wolfgang Rüdig |
| 15:45 | Break |
| 16:00 |
Consequences of intimidation, harassment and violence in politics I Raising awareness of harassment against politicians: Experimental evidence on the democratic consequences from four European democracies by Søren Damsbo-Svendsen & Karina Kosiara-Pedersen Politicians Under Attack: Citizens’ Responses to Political Violence by Rozemarijn van Dijk |
| 17:30 | End of program |
Thursday
Room 1.1.17, CSS, University of Copenhagen.
| 9:00 |
Consequences of intimidation, harassment and violence in politics II Targeting Politicians, Triggering Participation? The (Gendered) Effect of Violence Against Politicians on Citizens’ Political Engagement Targeting by Rozemarijn E. van Dijk & Karina Kosiara-Pedersen Inhibited campaigning. The Emotional Consequences of Harassment, Intimidation and Violence in Local Politics by Karina Kosiara-Pedersen & Hifsa Ibrar Chaudhry |
| 10:15 |
Handling intimidation, harassment and violence at the individual level Safety work? Individual and institutional Consequences of Harassment, Intimidation and Violence in Politics by Christina Fiig & Karina Kosiara-Pedersen |
| 11:00 | Break |
| 11:15 |
Handling intimidation, harassment and violence in parliament and parties A Non-Gendered Approach to a Gendered Problem: Violence Mitigation Policy in the Swedish Parliament by Sandra Håkansson & Josefina Erikson How parties (don’t) protect. Party rules on hindering and handling harassment, intimidation and violence among members, candidates and elected representatives by Karina Kosiara-Pedersen |
| 12:45 | Goodbye |
The workshop is part of the research project, ‘The Democratic Implications of Political Harassment and Sexism (DIPAS)’, funded by Independent Research Fund Denmark with Karina Kosiara-Pedersen (PI, University of Copenhagen), Christina Fiig (Aarhus University), and Søren Damsbo-Svendsen (University of Copenhagen).