Donald Trump’s false claims about the Iran War, Epstein files, tariffs and inflation have left some supporters who have traditionally believed all he says feeling duped and abandoned. Why now?
- W. Alton Jones Professor of Philosophy, Vanderbilt University
Politicians get blamed for government shutdowns. But does the fault lie also with citizens, who are more invested in punishing partisan rivals than in demanding competent government?
Responsible political judgment requires reflection − and reflection takes time.
Lots has been said about the 2022 US midterm elections. But a scholar of democracy says there’s really only one conclusion that can be made about how voters behaved.
We talk to a political scientist and a philosopher about how to bring countries back from dangerous levels of polarisation. Listen to The Conversation Weekly.
Political debate has always been filled with heated words and deeply held emotions. But the level of civility in political discourse has reached a new low.
Liz Cheney has been a conservative GOP congressional policymaker since 2016. But when she turned against Donald Trump, GOP voters in Wyoming turned against her.
Deep-seated disagreement is healthy for a democracy. But when people lose the ability to navigate those differences, they risk seeking anti-democratic unity of thought.
To be politically successful, coalitions need to be unified. But that pressure to unify can spell trouble for groups – as today’s GOP demonstrates.
Biden’s winning campaign message was one of unity. But even the people who study polarization can’t agree on whether it’s possible to unify the United States.
It’s easy to perceive a political opponent as being uncivil – and that opens the door for an uncivil reply as well.
In the United States, liberals and conservatives do not only differ politically. They also live separate lives in the physical world.
A person’s political identity is wrapped up in almost everything they do. Exposure to opinions from the other side actually makes it worse.
Contact Robert for
- General
- Media request
- Speaking request
- Consulting / Advising
- Research collaboration
- Research supervision
- Location: Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.
- Website
- X (formerly Twitter): @RobertTalisse
- Article Feed
- Joined
