Political Polarization
Backing Evidence (5 Key Documents)
- Political Polarization in the American Public (Pew Research Center, 2014) Search
- Affective polarization in America (Annual Review of Political Science, 2019) Search
- The Rise of Sectarian Politics in America (Science, 2020) Search
- Social Media and the Spiral of Political Polarization (Journal of Democracy, 2020) Search
- Partisan polarization and democratic erosion (Comparative Political Studies, 2018) Search
The Straw Man Arguments
- People just disagree because one side is evil and wants to destroy the country.
- Polarization is just a minor disagreement created by a few noisy politicians on Twitter.
The Steel Man (Strong Counter-Suit)
Diverse political viewpoints are essential for a healthy democracy, and disagreement drives policy debates. Strong partisan identity reflects deep demographic and ideological sortings, which ensure voters have clear, distinct choices rather than a monolithic consensus.