Are Politics Making Americans Boring?

The World’s Most Diverse, Innovative, and Surprising Nation Is in Danger of Becoming Entirely Predictable

America—arguably the world’s most diverse, innovative, and surprising nation—is becoming a lot more predictable. And boring.

According to the most recent Pew Research Poll on political polarization, Americans are becoming more consistently liberal or conservative in their opinions, and ideological thinking is much more aligned with political party membership than before. This means that the overlap between the two parties that existed two decades ago—when there were conservative Democrats and liberal Republicans—is gone. And so we have fewer people—both political apostates and regular, moderate folks—who can bridge the gap between the …

Call Off the Silly Hunt For ‘Centrism’

The American Political Center Is Dead—Not That It Ever Lived

As Washington contemplates intervention in Syria, pundits will undoubtedly seize on the high-minded debate, one that is not following predictable partisan lines, as a model to emulate across a range …

Race Is Easy. Ideology Is Hard.

Jonathan Haidt, Winner of the Third Annual Zócalo Book Prize, Explains Why Good People Demonize One Another

The Third Annual Zócalo Public Square Book Prize was made possible by the generous support of Southern California Gas Company.

“It’s a hell of a challenge to create a cohesive community …

We Love Diversity, If It’s Only Skin-Deep

Our Communities Are Getting More Diverse in Color, Less Diverse In Anything Else

At a conference on cities and political diversity in Pittsburgh a few years ago, a gentleman from Philadelphia was proudly ticking down the demographic menu offered in his big-city community. …