ABSTRACT
The purpose of this chapter is to understand the range of linguistic markers that communicators use to signal polarizing intent. What does polarizing language look like and how can it be measured? Persuasive language used to polarize can range from intense language used to incite violence, as in the Rwandan genocide, to language that is used by terrorists to extend their influence and by governments fighting their influence, to political rivals driving wedges to gain policy advantages. The author details the central features of polarizing language and illustrates how they function in the contexts of genocide, terrorism, and politics. This includes an inventory of the key features of polarizing language to help scholars and practitioners better recognize it and understand its potential impact.
