Event overview
Professor Agnieszka Golec de Zavala: Rebels without a cause or revolutionaries in reverse? Collective narcissism, populism and political polarization
Collective narcissism is a belief that the ingroup deserves but is denied special treatment and recognition. It is a projection of the narcissistic need to be recognized as better than others on the social level of the self. It is an aspect of ingroup identification, one of the ways group members favour their ingroup.
National narcissism is associated with collective narcissism of advantaged national subgroups (e.g., Whites, men). They similarly predict discrimination of disadvantaged national subgroups (e.g., racial minorities, women) and legitimization of group-based inequality. Members of disadvantaged groups who endorse national narcissism internalize beliefs legitimizing inequality. Ultraconservative populists propagate national narcissism to undermine the political system that does not sufficiently serve the interests of advantaged groups. National narcissism predicts patriotism and nationalism. Once the three forms of national favouritism are differentiated, it becomes clear that patriotism does not come at the expense of nationalism, discrimination, societal polarisation or erosion of democracy. Instead, it may be a remedy against them.
Prof. Agnieszka Golec De Zavala is the Head of the PrejudiceLab, a Professor at Goldsmiths, University of London, UK and an Associate Dead of Concilium Civitas at Collegium Civitas in Poland. Her research expertise encompasses social and political psychology, focusing on the psychological predictors of political conservatism, the role of motivated cognition in intergroup conflict and radicalization towards political violence, social identity, social inequality, and prejudice. Her current research focuses on theory of collective narcissism, the concept she reintroduced to empirical psychology.
Dates & times
| Date | Time | Add to calendar |
|---|---|---|
| 27 Mar 2025 | 4:00pm - 5:00pm |
Accessibility
If you are attending an event and need the College to help with any mobility requirements you may have, please contact the event organiser in advance to ensure we can accommodate your needs.
