Political Polarization

Political polarization has become an increasingly prominent phenomenon in contemporary America, shaping the nation's social, cultural, and political landscapes. The divide between ideological factions has deepened, leading to a climate of intense partisanship and ideological rigidity. This audiobook, The Rise of Political Polarization: Understanding Social Movements and Ideological Divides in Contemporary America, delves into the multifaceted nature of political polarization, focusing on its causes, manifestations, and consequences.

As increasingly contentious politics in the United States raise concerns over the "politicization" of traditionally non-partisan institutions, many have turned their attention to how the American military has been—and will be—affected by this trend. Since a low point following the end of the Vietnam War, the US military has experienced a dramatic reversal of public opinion, becoming one of the most trusted institutions in American society. However, this trend is more complicated than it appears.

Every week, political pundits publish books promoting one side (the pundit’s) as good, and the other side as evil. Whether the pundit promotes a liberal or conservative view, the book convinces zealots, and annoys everyone else. For the rest of us, we see and feel the problem. Psychologists teach us why and how the problem exists. Politicians leverage the problem to gain personal political advantage.

Rarely has America been so bitterly divided. Partisans now view those with differing opinions as the enemy. Cable news programs inflame passions rather than inform viewers. Social media provides the most irrational partisans a venue to spew their hatred and bias. Town hall meetings, once the staple of representative democracy, have degenerated into choreographed shouting matches. Money flows into campaigns at unprecedented rates. Centrists are nearly extinct in Congress, where compromise has become a dirty word.

At a time of political tribalism and ideological purity tests, it can be hard to remember that cross-party hatred isn't an inherent feature of partisan politics. But, as this book reminds us, a backward glance - or a quick survey of so many retiring members of Congress - tells us that even in the past decade partisan rancor has grown exponentially. In Angry Politics, Stacy G. Ulbig asks why. Even more to the point, she traces the trend to the place where it all might begin - the college campus, among the youngest segment of the electorate.

Not only do individuals have core beliefs about what the government should or should not do, but individuals have become more likely to support the party that best matches their policy attitudes by both identifying as a member of that party and voting for that party in elections. However, as Zingher demonstrates, voters' ability to match their attitudes to a party or candidate varies according to signals sent by elites and increases as parties become more polarized.