Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to empirically investigate the role of emotions in the polarization that emerged during the first months of the pandemic. So, the authors will analyze the social response of two opposing social actors: political elites that have minimized the risks of the pandemic and grassroots groups that have promoted mutual support for vulnerable people suffering from the various effects of the pandemic.

Design/methodology/approach

For the analysis, the authors will primarily refer to Hochschild's proposal and the recent literature on emotions and protest. The method is to analyze official statements by politicians from the UK, USA, Mexico, Brazil, Spain and Italy and the social responses that have emerged from different mutual support groups and solidarity networks in those countries, as well as in Chile and Argentina.

Findings

The authors will show how the conflicting responses can exacerbate social polarization in our societies. This polarization goes beyond the political spectrum, and in some cases even social classes, and reaches into the realms of values, emotions and practices. The authors will also show how the response from grassroots activism makes it possible to overcome guilt, shame and other emotions of trauma, among other things.

Originality/value

An analysis of the emotional dimension of two opposing responses to the pandemic will show how these responses have a deep impact on society, ranging from demands for values and practices that legitimize a status quo, to discussing, breaking away from or overcoming social behavior based on individualism and social determinism.

中文翻译：

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关于 COVID-19 的情绪如何影响社会？政治精英和基层激进主义的作用

目的

本文的目的是实证研究情绪在大流行最初几个月出现的两极分化中的作用。因此，作者将分析两个对立的社会行为者的社会反应：将大流行风险降至最低的政治精英和促进对遭受大流行各种影响的弱势群体的相互支持的基层团体。

设计/方法/方法

对于分析，作者将主要参考 Hochschild 的建议和最近有关情绪和抗议的文献。该方法是分析来自英国、美国、墨西哥、巴西、西班牙和意大利的政治家的官方声明，以及这些国家以及智利和阿根廷的不同相互支持团体和团结网络所产生的社会反应。

发现

作者将展示相互矛盾的反应如何加剧我们社会中的社会两极分化。这种两极分化超越了政治光谱，在某些情况下甚至超越了社会阶层，并延伸到了价值观、情感和实践领域。作者还将展示基层激进主义的反应如何使克服内疚、羞耻和其他创伤情绪成为可能。

原创性/价值

对两种对立应对疫情的情绪维度的分析将显示这些应对措施如何对社会产生深远影响，从要求使现状合法化的价值观和实践，到讨论、脱离或克服基于个人主义和社会决定论。