Political polarization may end, one day

+ life expectancy for Supreme Court justices US Edition - Today's top story: Polarization may phase out of American politics as younger generations shift into power [View in browser]( US Edition | 11 May 2024 [The Conversation] [The Conversation]( This is a rough time in the U.S., with partisan political rancor at historic levels. But maybe there’s hope, if we just wait. Political science scholars Sally Friedman at the University at Albany and David Schultz at Hamline University research how different generations approach politics and what views they hold on social and political issues. They report that the current American polarization is in part the result of political differences between older generations – those born roughly between 1925 and 1981 – and younger ones, those born in or after 1982. But the older generations are gradually playing a smaller role in politics. What Friedman and Schultz reveal about [younger people’s political views]( – and the level of disagreement within their generations – offers an indication that more peaceful, cohesive times may be just around the corner. This week we also liked articles about [commencements and other rituals](, [offshore wind power](, and [playful chimpanzee moms](. [ [Get a global perspective on the news, with the best of The Conversation’s journalism from around the world, twice weekly.]( ] Jeff Inglis Politics + Society Editor Could the two political sides find common ground at last? JakeOlimb/DigitalVision Vectors via Getty Images [Polarization may phase out of American politics as younger generations shift into power]( Sally Friedman, University at Albany, State University of New York; David Schultz, Hamline University Younger generations today agree more on key national issues than older generations do. A time of intense polarization may be ending. Aid trucks loaded with supplies wait in Arish, Egypt, after a border crossing with Gaza was closed on May 8, 2024. Ali Moustafa/Getty Images [I’ve spent decades overseeing relief operations around the world, and here’s what’s going wrong in Gaza]( Raymond Offenheiser, University of Notre Dame A United Nations agency known as UNRWA is the main player in crisis response in Gaza – but Israel will no longer work with UNRWA, and border crossings are not consistent in getting aid through. Rites of passage, such as graduation ceremonies, celebrate the transition to a new state. JC Olivera/Getty Images [Commencement isn’t just about awarding degrees – and cancellations leave students disconnected and disillusioned]( Dimitris Xygalatas, University of Connecticut Rites of passage are important. They do not merely celebrate the transition to a new state – they actively create this new state in the eyes of society, an anthropologist writes. - [Playing with the kids is important work for chimpanzee mothers]( Zarin Machanda, Tufts University; Kris Sabbi, Harvard University When resources are tight, mothers bear the costs of playing with their offspring even as they avoid socializing with others. - [US is way stingier with maternity leave and child care than the rest of the world]( Joya Misra, UMass Amherst Research suggests that government spending on very young children is a good investment. - [‘Hidden mother’ photos don’t erase moms − rather, they reveal the labor and love that support the child]( Andrea Kaston Tange, Macalester College Mothers are smudged out and poorly cloaked beneath drapes in these 19th century portraits. 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