Nasty Politics

In Nasty Politics, Thomas Zeitzoff examines this global political trend of nasty politics in the US, Ukraine, and Israel and looks at how key leaders such as Trump, Zelensky, and Netanyahu use it. Drawing on surveys, case studies, in-depth interviews, databases of nasty politics, and large social media datasets, Zeitzoff shows that the public generally doesn’t like nasty politics. But it can also be a way to signal toughness to voters, which is especially important in threatening times. Featuring a powerful theory of why nastiness takes hold in democratic polities, this book highlights how nasty politics influences the kinds of politicians who run for office and deepens our understanding for why so many politicians now rely on outsized anger and withering insults for political gain.