Regions, emotions and left-behindness: a phase model for understanding the emergence of regional embitterment

ABSTRACT

Discontent is an important feature of ‘left-behind places’, often reflected by a high percentage of voting for populist parties. Drawing on insights from psychology, we extend previous analyses by focusing on collective embitterment as the central underlying emotional state in a region. Arguing that such negative emotions do not arise ‘out of the blue’, we develop a four-phase model of regional embitterment that accounts for the emotional characterisation of and the level of embitterment among the population, as well as the role of policy interventions. Based on a case study in East Thuringia, we conclude that emotions should be given more attention in future studies.

KEYWORDS:

• discontent
• embitterment
• emotions
• left-behind places
• lock-in
• phase model
• polarisation

JEL:

• D72
• E71
• P25
• R11

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The research results were developed within the framework of the project ‘WOM – Weltoffen miteinander arbeiten’ (WOM – Working Together Open-Mindedly). We thank Sören Becker, Bernd Belina, Klaus Dicke, Jonathan Everts, Jouni Häkli, Daniel Kinderman, Marit Rosol, Stephan Schurig, Danko Simic, Dieter Urban and Anika Zorn for their comments on earlier versions of this paper.

DISCLOSURE STATEMENT

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Correction Statement

This article has been corrected with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.

Notes

1. German language quotations are translated by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was funded by Freistaat Thüringen (Free State of Thuringia) with means of the European Social Fund (ESF).