Politics, Family, and Familial Relationships

Over recent years, the nature of politics in nations around the globe has become increasingly heated and polarized, with much of this change being attributed to a variety of sources, including news outlets, online websites, social media, and various forms of communication technology. However, discussions about politics, along with debates and arguments, often occur with the familial context. Often, sharp divides in the political attitudes of family members can result in open arguments, and even the termination of relationships. While researchers have long recognized how political beliefs are often passed on from one generation to the next within families, little is known about how the more disruptive and turbulent nature of contemporary politics is affecting families and family relationships.

In this session, we invite submissions from scholars around the globe which address the relationship between politics and the family. Topics of interest may include, but are not limited to: political socialization within the family, the influence of extremist online websites, marital quality and political ideologies, political disagreement and family relationships, the impact of propaganda upon family relationships, intergenerational patterns of political beliefs, and other related issues. Given the vast array of political beliefs, governmental forms, along with the multitude of family structures and relationships, we seek submissions from all regions of the world, and we welcome submissions from all theoretical and methodological perspectives.