Emotional Pathway to Activism: Emotional Intimacy with Social Minorities and Engagement in Activism in South Korea

초록

Expanding on the increasing attention on the role of emotions, we investigate how emotional intimacy with social groups influences an individual’s propensity to engage in social movement activism. Specifically, we examine the possibility that individuals who exhibit empathy toward members of social minorities are more likely to become actively involved in socio-political causes rather than adopting an apathetic stance. Using national survey data from the 2020 Korea Social Integration Survey (KSIS), our findings obtained from ordered logistic regression models suggest that individual level of emotional intimacy with social minority groups is positively and significantly associated with their participation in activism. Additionally, our analysis shows that the positive relationship between intimacy toward social minorities and activism becomes even more pronounced when individuals actively interact with others through association membership. This study suggests that being sensitive to minority members within civil society serves as a basis for active participation in social movements.

키워드