HOSTILE LANGUAGE IN POLITICAL DISCOURSE: AN ANALYSIS OF POLARISATION, AGGRESSION, AND DEMOCRATIC DELIBERATION IN CONTEMPORARY POLITICAL COMMUNICATION

Abstract

This study presents a comprehensive analysis of hostile language in contemporary political discourse, examining its manifestations, mechanisms, and implications for democratic governance. Through systematic investigation of aggressive political communication across multiple channels – including traditional media, social media platforms, parliamentary debates, and campaign materials – the research establishes hostile political language as a multidimensional phenomenon comprising insulting utterances, deliberate deception, and exclusionary behaviours that systematically undermine democratic deliberation. The study employs computational linguistic analysis, experimental research methods, and cross-national comparative approaches to quantify hostility patterns across different political systems and cultural contexts. Findings reveal that supporters of various political coalitions exhibit consistent toxicity rates of 6–8% in digital communications, with hostile language demonstrating contagious effects in online political discussions.The research identifies a “strategic hostility” model wherein political actors deploy aggressive rhetoric as rational responses to institutional incentives and competitive pressures. Temporal analysis indicates cyclical patterns of hostile discourse corresponding to periods of heightened political tension, challenging linear progression assumptions. The study demonstrates bidirectional causality between political polarisation and aggressive communication, creating “polarisation spirals” that reinforce democratic dysfunction. Meta- analytic evidence reveals complex, context-dependent relationships between hostile language and political trust, while longitudinal research indicates widespread citizen disaffection due to perceived incivility. The research concludes that hostile political language operates simultaneously as individual communicative acts, systematic cultural patterns, and institutional phenomena affecting governance quality, necessitating multi-level theoretical frameworks for understanding contemporary democratic communication challenges.