When Americans take to the streets, it is not always policy that drives them. Sometimes, it is raw political anger. A new study published in the journal Social Forces finds that partisan animosity, or hostile feelings toward the other political party, can be as powerful a motivator for protest as the actual issues themselves. In some cases, the anger is even stronger.
More Than Just Beliefs: Protests as Political Outlets
Political scientist Seth Warner of the University of Connecticut analyzed three major U.S. protest movements: Black Lives Matter, the climate movement, and the Tea Party. He used nationally representative survey data collected between 2014 and 2022.
Each survey measured both the core issues behind these movements (such as racial inequality, environmental concern, or distrust of government) and participants’ attitudes toward the major parties. Warner then looked at which factor mattered more in predicting who protested.
His conclusion: feelings of hostility toward the other party often rivaled, or even exceeded, concern about the issue itself.
- In climate protests, hostility toward Republicans was a stronger predictor than concern about climate change.
- For Black Lives Matter, anger at Republicans significantly boosted turnout.
- Among Tea Party participants, resentment of Democrats drove participation as much as distrust of government.
“Partisan animosity isn’t just background noise, it’s a key reason people show up to protest,” said Warner. “People are mobilized by anger at the other side, not just by passion for an issue.”
Where You Live Shapes What You Do
The research also shows that geography matters. People living in counties with high levels of partisan tension, whether left-leaning or right-leaning, were more likely to protest, even if they personally weren’t deeply partisan themselves.
In fact, being surrounded by hostile political rhetoric from out-party members seemed to push people into action more than being surrounded by like-minded allies.
“Living in a politically charged environment shapes how threatened people feel, and that sense of threat pushes them to act,” Warner explained.
Not Just About Policy Anymore
This study reframes the conversation about why Americans protest. It suggests that in today’s hyper-polarized political climate, protest is not only a demand for change, it is also a form of opposition against the other side.
“This challenges the idea that protests are only about policy change,” Warner said. “In today’s polarized America, protesting can also be a way to stand against the other party.”
In all three survey datasets, the role of individual partisan identity — the idea of simply supporting your own party — had little to no effect on protest participation. Instead, what mattered was how much you disliked the other side.
A Shift in How We Understand Protest
By drawing on theories of affective polarization, the tendency to dislike and distrust members of the opposing party, Warner’s study introduces a threat-based model of protest participation. People protest not only when they care about an issue, but when they feel politically threatened.
For scholars, activists, and everyday observers of American politics, this research offers a sobering insight: if political hostility continues to rise, so too might the number of protests — not just over policy, but over identity and perceived threat.
Journal: Social Forces
Article: Partisan Animosity and Protest Participation in the United States
Author: Seth B. Warner
Published: July 15, 2025
DOI: 10.1093/sf/soaf066
ScienceBlog.com has no paywalls, no sponsored content, and no agenda beyond getting the science right. Every story here is written to inform, not to impress an advertiser or push a point of view.
Good science journalism takes time — reading the papers, checking the claims, finding researchers who can put findings in context. We do that work because we think it matters.
If you find this site useful, consider supporting it with a donation. Even a few dollars a month helps keep the coverage independent and free for everyone.