Americans appear to be more divided than at any time since the Civil War. In this course, we will examine the political nature of divisions in American society and their partisan roots. We’ll begin by asking whether democratic institutions can sufficiently govern, maintain peace, and protect rights, and support a decent standard of living. After identifying flaws and benefits of democracy, we’ll begin to identify political and partisan polarization in the U.S., describing it with careful detail. Next, we will read the state-of-the-art literature on polarization as we seek to establish the primary causes of existing divisions. We’ll spend considerable time examining the racial, economic, and alternative schisms dominant in American society and seek to understand how these get translated into politics. In addition, we will look at the role of institutions in creating, perpetuating, or alleviating stifling divisions, including political parties, campaign finance, and inbred human characteristics. We’ll also examine the role that the media plays in perpetuating polarization Schließen