The origins of America’s deep political polarization

Edition: US - Today's top story: Can America's deep political divide be traced back to 1832? [Click here to view this message in your browser]. Edition: US 21 July 2016 [[The Conversation]Academic rigor, journalistic flair] Editor's note Last month, Pew released a survey showing that 45 percent of Republicans thought Democratic policies threatened the nation, while 41 percent of Democrats said the same about Republican policies. It's a sharp increase from just two years ago, and it doesn’t reflect simple disagreement; each side is being labeled a “threat,” as if they’re enemies. What are the origins of this stark division? How far back can they be traced? Texas A&M’s Jennifer Mercieca [points to an 1832 floor debate], when Senator William L. Marcy defended a controversial presidential appointment on strictly partisan grounds. Only a few years later, the two-party system would be firmly entrenched, with the media joining the fray. The result has been a political and media class that now treats voters not as citizens, but as partisans. Anti-Trump protesters at the Republican National Convention were peaceful this week, yet ineffective in stopping Trump from winning the nomination. David Farber, a historian at the University of Kansas, reminds us of the DNC in 1968, when fear and violence reigned, and some leaders encouraged activists to follow a different path [to accomplish their political goals]. Nick Lehr Editor, Arts and Culture Top story The nation’s political chasm – already wide – has grown even more since 2012. 'Partisanship' via www.shutterstock.com [Can America's deep political divide be traced back to 1832?] Jennifer Mercieca, Texas A&M University Elected officials and the media are in cahoots. Both have succumbed to a two-party system that treats voters not as independent thinkers, but as blind partisans. Politics + Society - [What anti-Trump activists can learn from Chicago '68] David Farber, University of Kansas RNC protests in Cleveland have been peaceful, but are they effective? A historian explains what happened at the DNC in 1968 and why activists may want to reconsider their tactics. - [Spain's Civil War and the Americans who fought in it: a convoluted legacy] James D. Fernandez, New York University For many contemporary observers, the Spanish Civil War was seen as very much of a piece with the war against Hitler and Mussolini. But then things changed. Why? Education - [Donald Trump Jr.'s call for school choice in context] Kalpana Jain, The Conversation; Emily Costello, The Conversation On Tuesday, July 19, Donald Trump Jr. made references to the American school choice program. What do researchers say about school choice programs? Health + Medicine - [Trump's health care plan: not truly on point] Bill Custer, Georgia State University Donald Trump wants to repeal the Affordable Care Act and allow insurers in one state to sell in another. Do his ideas hold up? - [Living in a chaotic world: how to keep anxiety at bay] David Chesire, University of Florida With shootings and explosions and a coup in recent weeks, it's only natural that anxiety would besiege us. There are research-tested ways, however, that can help us deal with it. Science + Technology - [Is your nervous system a democracy or a dictatorship when controlling your behavior?] Ari Berkowitz, University of Oklahoma Different animals and different behaviors rely on various forms and combinations of 'government' to carry out desired actions. Economy + Business - [What factors influence income inequality?] Dale O. Cloninger, University of Houston-Clear Lake An analysis of what's known as the Gini coefficient offers some clues on what makes one society more unequal in terms of income than another. Environment + Energy - [How do we uncouple global development from resource use?] Heinz Schandl, CSIRO The world's use of finite resources continues to rise as global development continues. Can we help poorer nations raise their standard of living without exhausting all of our raw materials? Rest of the World - United Kingdom [Why ‘smart drugs’ can make you less clever] Nadira Faber, University of Oxford Some cognitive enhancers can reduce the brain power of high performers by weakening their memory. - Africa [A cure for HIV: what science knows, and what it doesn’t] Sharon Lewin, The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity and Thomas Aagaard Rasmussen, The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity HIV research continues to search for a cure. The focus is on developing therapies to cure HIV infection or allow people with HIV to safely stop antiretroviral therapy and keep the virus under control. - Australia [Australia ranks 20th on progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals] John Thwaites, Monash University A new UN report puts Australia in 20th place in the global effort to secure health, security and environmental sustainability across the world. Scandinavian nations lead the way, while Africa trails. [The Conversation on Twitter] [The Conversation on Facebook] 3.3 million unique visitors a month You’re receiving this newsletter from [The Conversation]. Not interested anymore? [Unsubscribe instantly]. We’ll miss you. 745 Atlantic Ave. 8th Floor Boston, MA 02111