From performance to infrastructure: Governing political fear in the platform age (opens in new tab)

Introduction In an era increasingly defined by data-driven communication and algorithmic governance, political power is no longer exercised solely through institutions and laws. It is also enacted through visibility, emotion, and attention. Among the emotions most frequently mobilised in this context, fear stands out as both a political resource and a mode of symbolic governance. This article examines how fear functions not only as a rhetorical device but also as a socio-technical and affecti...