Polarization

Alan Wiseman on Effective Lawmaking There are 535 members of Congress who attempt to pass legislation on behalf of their constituents. However, not all members have the same chance at passing laws, with much of the true power held in the hands of the few. Until the 1990s, House committee… Read More

From Jon Meacham “January 6th is an inflection point. It’s either a step on the way to the abyss, or it is a call for citizens to engage and say that the work we are about [to form a more perfect union] is more important than the will or whim of… Read More

This five-part audio series explores the question of how fear conquered truth, the history and origins of the strong grip misinformation and disinformation have on our politics, and how we got here today. The way forward isn’t about nostalgia, it’s not about sentimentality, it’s about seeing things whole.   Read More

When profiling diverse leaders across America—the bridge builders, who do not accept the status quo of bottomless rage toward others—I discovered that these bridge builders are countercultural. They do not accept buzzwords. They do not use labels. They choose nuance over caricature, realizing that when they box people in, they box themselves out of the possibility of meaningful connections that can lead to genuine change.  Read More

Instead of being a force of division as argued by many pundits, religion can be a balm to a polarized country if we are willing to separate religious beliefs from their accompanying practices and ethics.  Besides anchoring faith, religious practices and ethics can embody and enliven a democratic community by showing us how to live in and between different politics of sacred value.      Read More

U.S. Congressman David Price (D-NC) and Vanderbilt experts on American politics participated in a candid conversation charting the transformation of Congress. Vanderbilt political scientists Alan Wiseman and Larry Bartels  will share their expertise with Rep. Price in a lively discussion laced with anecdotes and analysis from his book “The… Read More