Digital Humanities, Social Science and Cultural Preservation
From Frustration to Nationalism: The Emotional Forces Driving Political Change in the Age of Digital Mediation
Abstract
Dr. Afrim Bytyqi
This paper examines the emotional trajectory through which socio-economic frustration escalates into anger and is subsequently transformed into nationalist mobilization, with particular attention to the role of digital mediation in shaping contemporary political emotions. Drawing on political theory, social psychology, and historical reflection, the analysis conceptualizes frustration as a latent condition of perceived injustice, anger as its activating force, and nationalism as an emotionally charged framework that organizes collective identity and action.
While nationalism can provide meaning and cohesion in times of crisis, it also carries significant risks of exclusion and conflict. By integrating analytical reflection with experiential insight, the paper aims to clarify the emotional mechanisms underlying nationalist politics and to contribute to a more nuanced understanding of its contemporary appeal. It further argues that social media platforms, algorithmic amplification, and digitally networked narratives intensify emotional circulation, accelerate polarization, and reshape the formation of imagined communities.
The paper contributes to interdisciplinary dialogue between social theory, digital humanities, and cultural preservation by clarifying how emotional economies operate across both institutional settings and digital infrastructures. It proposes critical media literacy, civic education, and pluralistic narrative cultivation as key strategies for strengthening democratic resilience in an age of digitally amplified political emotions.