Einstein Research Unit
Affective Polarization
How Civil Society Fosters
Social Cohesion
How Civil Society Fosters Social Cohesion
The Einstein Research Unit „Coping with Affective Polarization“ (ERU-CAP) is an interdisciplinary research initiative based in Berlin.
Research teams from Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Freie Universität Berlin, and Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin investigate the dynamics of affective polarization and strategies to mitigate its negative consequences.
Through empirical research and close collaboration with civil society organizations, we explore the mechanisms driving affective polarization and develop targeted interventions to empower individuals, social groups, and activist organizations to navigate polarized environments.
A key focus is understanding how civil society can foster social cohesion and promote constructive engagement across political and social divides.
By bridging academic knowledge with real-world applications, our ERU-CAP aims to contribute to a more cohesive and resilient society.
In our Einstein Research Unit ERU-CAP, we work in five interconnected research streams.
Click on the boxes below or visit „Research“ for a full overview.
In our Einstein Research Unit, we take a multidimensional approach to studying and addressing affective polarization, with each research stream complementing the others. Our rigorous, continuous data collection and interdisciplinary analyses help us identify resources that support individuals and groups in navigating affective polarization. This integrated research process ensures the development of targeted interventions in line with the current state of research and real-world challenges.
Civil Society
Interventions Lab
In our Interventions Lab,
we position civil society as a key actor in mobilizing social cohesion to cope with the negative effects of affective polarization.
By collaborating closely with
civil society organizations and drawing on insights from our research, we develop effective intervention strategies.
Research Stream
„Individuals“
The main aim of the „Individuals“ Research Stream is to explore how individual differences shape the ways in which people are impacted by affective polarization and to identify strategies that individuals employ to cope with the negative consequences of affective polarization.
Click on the boxes below or visit „Research“ for a full overview.
In our Einstein Research Unit,
we take a multidimensional approach to studying and addressing affective polarization, with each research stream complementing the others. Our rigorous, continuous data collection and interdisciplinary analyses help us identify resources that support individuals and groups in navigating affective polarization. This integrated research process ensures the development of targeted interventions in line with the current state of research and
real-world challenges.
Civil Society
Interventions Lab
In our Interventions Lab,
we position civil society as a key actor in mobilizing social cohesion to cope with the negative effects of affective polarization.
By collaborating closely with
civil society organizations and drawing on insights from our research, we develop effective intervention strategies.
Research Stream
„Individuals“
The main aim of the „Individuals“ Research Stream is to explore how individual differences shape the ways in which people are impacted by affective polarization and to identify strategies that individuals employ to cope with the negative consequences of affective polarization.
