Talking Sense about Politics : How to Overcome Political Polarization in Your Next Conversation (eBook)

 ContentsTables xiIntroduction How to Have a Conversation about Politics xiiiPart I Four American Perspectives1 Four Americas: Loyal, Tactful, Detached, Caring 32 The Loyal and Tactful Perspectives 143 The Detached and Caring Perspectives 304 Power, Privilege, and Sixteen Model Dialogues 45 Part II Sixteen Model Dialogues5 Being in Charge: The Weak Loyal Dialogues 61Dialogue 1. Weak Loyal versus Strong LoyalSmall Business versus Big Business 62Dialogue 2. Weak Loyal versus Strong TactfulCheating versus Sportsmanship 67Dialogue 2. Weak Loyal versus Strong TactfulFundamentalism versus Secularism 71Dialogue 3. Weak Loyal versus Strong DetachedBullies versus Bystanders 77Dialogue 4. Weak Loyal versus Strong CaringOpponents versus Supporters of Women's Rights 816 Getting Along with Others: The Weak Tactful Dialogues 87Dialogue 5. Weak Tactful versus Strong LoyalImmigrants versus Nativists 88Dialogue 6. Weak Tactful versus Strong TactfulExpanding versus Restricting Minority Voting Rights 94Dialogue 7. Weak Tactful versus Strong DetachedDisadvantaged versus Privileged 99Dialogue 7. Weak Tactful versus Strong DetachedWorking Women versus Male Workplaces 106Dialogue 8. Weak Tactful versus Strong CaringConservation vs. Preservation of the Environment 1137 Working It Out Myself: The Weak Detached Dialogues 119Dialogue 9. Weak Detached versus Strong LoyalCultural Identity versus Assimilation 120Dialogue 10. Weak Detached versus Strong TactfulReligious Freedom versus Secularism 126Dialogue 10. Weak Detached versus Strong TactfulVaccination Exemptions versus Requirements 131Dialogue 11. Weak Detached versus Strong DetachedWorking Poor versus Rich 136Dialogue 12. Weak Detached versus Strong CaringIsolationism versus Idealism in Foreign Policy 1428 Looking Out for Others: The Weak Caring Dialogues 147Dialogue 13. Weak Caring versus Strong LoyalClimate Change Mitigation versus Adaptation 148Dialogue 14: Weak Caring versus Strong TactfulSupporting versus Not Supporting the Homeless 154Dialogue 14. Weak Caring versus Strong TactfulCivility in Speech vs. Speech for Winning on Campus 159Dialogue 15. Weak Caring versus Strong DetachedGun Control versus Gun Rights 166Dialogue 16: Weak Caring versus Strong CaringFriends versus Friends 170 Part III America's Changing Political Scene9 Four Perspectives but Only Two Political Parties 17910 Winning Elections with Detached Voters 19411 Political Polarization: Causes, Consequences,and Responses 21112 Moving Beyond Political Polarization 225Acknowledgments 237Notes 239Bibliography 243Index 247