The limits of anger and joy in politics: How emotions play a role in elections

Coming out of last week’s Democratic National Convention, the word on the lips of many of the party’s politicians was “joy” — a word heard over and over from speakers at the event.

But does that joy translate into electoral votes and political success? And what about anger and vengeance, a theme of the Republican party under former President Donald Trump?

Host Scott Tong explores the role of emotions in political success with Indiana University political science professor Steven Webster, who wrote the book “American Rage: How Anger Shapes Our Politics.”

This article was originally published on WBUR.org.