This thesis aims to examine the relationship between ideological and affective polarisation and how it is affected by block-crossing cooperation at the local political level. Ideological and affective polarisation is measured in municipalities where block-crossing cooperation prevails, as well as municipalities where traditional block cooperation rules. The method that is used to measure the polarization is a mixed method with a questionnaire survey, directed to politicians in municipalities with different cooperation patterns. Further on, the answers have been qualitatively interpreted and the levels of polarization were converted into a number that represented the mean value of polarization in each municipality. The results indicate that block-crossing cooperation leads to lower levels of polarization, both ideological and affective, with an emphasis on the latter. On the contrary, traditional block political cooperations receive a significantly higher level of affective polarisation. The results can be supported by previous research as well as the theoretical framework. For instance, theories and research fields about social identity, group polarization and political psychology can explain the phenomenon of in-groups and out-groups that can reinforce affective polarization.This research has provided deeper knowledge and understanding of polarization and incentives for cooperation in Swedish politics with a focus on the local level. The thesis contributes to the existing research field of polarization. Hence, it opens for further research about polarization and deliberation, both at the municipality level as this thesis emphasizes, but also in the broader political realm.

Building on Lee Epstein et al. (2006) article “The Changing Dynamics of Senate Voting on Supreme Court Nominees”, this study seeks to explore the representation of ideological questions during the Supreme Court confirmation hearings of Clarence Thomas and Brett M. Kavanaugh. As previous studies seek to explore the characteristics and political agenda of confirmation hearings, there is more to be discovered about the representation of ideological questions. In addition, more studies tend to explain the reasons why landmark decisions such as Roe v. Wade has managed to be overturned and scholars have demonstrated the need to study ideological polarization in the Supreme Court. To study overrulings and ideological polarization in the Supreme Court, this article explores the very beginning of the issue: the confirmation hearings of justices to the Supreme Court of the United States. By being attentive to the main themes of questions during the confirmation hearings of Clarence Thomas and Brett M. Kavanaugh, this paper explores the representation of ideological questions versus questions of fact. This theoretical perspective facilitates the exploration of further studies regarding upcoming confirmation hearings. This article indicates the reliance on the theory of Lee Epstein et al., and claims that the previous confirmation hearings have a strong representation of ideological questions.

Detta kandidatarbete fokuserar på ideologisk polarisering som orsak till den stora mängden falsk information som har spridits den senaste tiden. Jag undersöker hur selektiv exponering och filterbubblor har bidragit till att den ideologiska polariseringen har följt med in på webben, och hur nyhetsfeed har agerat som en grogrund för detta. I ett försök till att minska den ideologiska polariseringen i nyhetsfeed skapade jag en webbapplikation i form av ett nyhetsfeed med nyhetsartiklar som med hjälp av algoritmer låter användaren se utanför sin filterbubbla för att balansera nyhetsfeedet mellan flera olika nyhetskällor. / This bachelor thesis focuses on ideological polarization as cause for the vast amount of false information that have been spread lately. I examine how selective exposure and filter bubbles have contributed to the ideological polarization that followed into the web, and how newsfeed have been acting as a breeding ground for this. In an attempt to reduce the ideological polarization in newsfeed I created a web application in the form of a newsfeed with news articles, that with the help of algorithms let the user see beyond its filter bubble to balance the newsfeed between different news sources.