It is time to present the research team for EmoAffect. First up is Kim Strandberg.
Who are you? – Kim Strandberg
Professor in political science, especially political communication. Research interests include democratic innovations, social media and politics, affective polarization, survey- and experimental methods.
What is your role in this project?
I’m the so-called principal investigator which is basically the project leader. I keep an eye on how the research in the work packages is going and I ensure that we are staying on track in terms of both time schedule and focus points.
What do you find interesting about the research of emotions and/or affective polarization?
I think it has become obvious, for instance during the Trump era, how emotions can be harnessed to achieve political goals. Emotions are also part of basic human instincts which make them extra important to understand in relation to phenomena that are affecting how societies function, such as affective polarization. For me, emotions are also a new area of study which makes it extra interesting.
What do you do in your spare time?
I actively support Liverpool F.C., Vaasan Palloseura and Vaasan Sport. I’m into sports’ fan culture generally. My other hobbies include playing Magic: the Gathering and spending time on YouTube (far too many hours per day).
The research project “EmoAffect” takes on the task of studying how emotional reactions drive affective polarization and focuses on which emotions that are crucial drivers. The project is funded by the Research Council of Finland and carried out at Åbo Akademi University.