Published May 27, 2019

More Divided Than Ever?

Shankar Vedantam delves into the resilient nature of American democracy amid historical and modern political conflicts, with historian David Moss and political scientist John Hibbing examining how psychological and ideological differences between liberals and conservatives fuel polarization and challenge democratic cohesion.

Episode Highlights

Topics covered

Episode Highlights

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Dexa/Shankar Vedantam

More Divided Than Ever?

Topics covered

Popular Clips

Productive Conflict

Conflict and Unity

Threat Perception Differences

Biological Roots of Politics

Bonds Beyond Barriers

Perceptions of Threat

Compromise and Conflict

Political Pet Preferences

Democracy's Resilience

Political Turmoil Unveiled

Genetic Politics

Political Palates

Conflict and Democracy

Brain and Politics

Episode Highlights

Role of Conflict

Ideological Differences

Democracy's Challenges

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More Divided Than Ever?

Topics covered

Popular Clips

Episode Highlights

Role of ConflictHistorian David Moss explores how historical political conflicts in the U.S. have shaped its democracy. He highlights the resilience of American democracy through productive conflict and unity amidst diversity.

Role of Conflict

Ideological DifferencesJohn Hibbing, a political scientist, discusses the psychological and biological differences between liberals and conservatives. He reveals how these inherent traits influence political beliefs and cultural preferences, offering insights into the roots of partisan divides.

Ideological Differences

Democracy's ChallengesJohn Hibbing and David Moss explore the psychological and historical roots of political polarization and its impact on democracy. They discuss how differing threat perceptions and the erosion of trust challenge democratic resilience and citizen cooperation.

Democracy's Challenges

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