Understanding Political Tribalism and Polarization

A collection of books and articles focusing on how politics, tribalism, and group identities shape beliefs and behaviors in modern societies. Emphasis is on experimental research and theoretical analysis in political psychology and sociology.

  1. Tribalism and Political Identity Formation
    Why: To understand how moral and political identities form and divide people into tribes based on beliefs and values.
  • Book: The Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion by Jonathan Haidt
    • Reason: Haidt explores how moral psychology drives political identity and tribalism, using experimental research on moral foundations.
  • Article: Haidt, J., & Graham, J. (2007). "When Morality Opposes Justice: Conservatives Have Moral Intuitions That Liberals May Not Recognize."
  • Reason: This article contrasts the moral intuitions of conservatives and liberals, offering insights into how moral foundations contribute to political tribalism.
  1. Polarization and Groupthink in Politics
    Why: To explore how emotions and groupthink affect political decision-making and intensify polarization.
  • Book: The Political Brain: The Role of Emotion in Deciding the Fate of the Nation by Drew Westen
    • Reason: Westen examines how emotions, rather than reason, play a central role in political decision-making, supported by neuroscience and psychological experiments.
  • Article: Westen, D., et al. (2006). "The Neural Basis of Motivated Reasoning: An fMRI Study of Emotional Constraints on Partisan Political Judgment."
  • Reason: This study reveals how partisan identities constrain political judgment and how the brain responds differently to political information based on identity.
  1. Social Identity Theory and Political Tribalism
    Why: To understand how political tribalism emerges from social identities and intergroup conflict.
  • Book: Us vs. Them: The Failure of Globalism by Ian Bremmer
    • Reason: Bremmer discusses how social identities and nationalism lead to political polarization in response to globalism and changing social dynamics.
  • Article: Tajfel, H., & Turner, J. C. (1979). "An Integrative Theory of Intergroup Conflict."
  • Reason: This article is foundational in understanding social identity theory, which explains how group identity leads to intergroup conflict, a major driver of political tribalism.
  1. Group Polarization and the Role of Media
    Why: To explore how group polarization intensifies political division, and the role media plays in amplifying these effects.
  • Book: Democracy for Realists: Why Elections Do Not Produce Responsive Government by Christopher H. Achen and Larry M. Bartels
    • Reason: Achen and Bartels argue that group loyalty, rather than rational policy choices, drives most voting behavior, intensifying political tribalism.
  • Article: Sunstein, C. R. (1999). "The Law of Group Polarization."
  • Reason: This article explains how group discussions tend to lead to more extreme positions, a key phenomenon in political polarization.
  1. Tribalism, Populism, and Authoritarianism
    Why: To understand the relationship between political tribalism, populism, and the rise of authoritarian movements.
  • Book: How Democracies Die by Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt
    • Reason: Levitsky and Ziblatt show how tribal divisions are exploited by populist movements to undermine democratic institutions.
  • Article: Norris, P., & Inglehart, R. (2019). "Cultural Backlash: Trump, Brexit, and Authoritarian Populism."
  • Reason: This article discusses how populist movements like Trumpism and Brexit are rooted in cultural and tribal backlash against progressive values.
  1. The Role of Identity in Political Conflict
    Why: To understand how identity politics fuels modern political conflicts and tribal divisions.
  • Book: Identity: The Demand for Dignity and the Politics of Resentment by Francis Fukuyama
    • Reason: Fukuyama explores how identity politics drives political conflict and resentment in modern societies, leading to political tribalism.
  • Article: Huddy, L. (2001). "From Social to Political Identity: A Critical Examination of Social Identity Theory."
  • Reason: This article connects social identity theory to political behavior, showing how group identities fuel political beliefs and conflict.
Us vs. Them: The Failure of Globalism

Us vs. Them: The Failure of Globalism

By Ian Bremmer

i
Identity: The Demand for Dignity and the Politics of Resentment

Identity: The Demand for Dignity and the Politics of Resentment

By Francis Fukuyama

i
Democracy for Realists: Why Elections Do Not Produce Responsive Government (Princeton Studies in Political Behavior, 1)

Democracy for Realists: Why Elections Do Not Produce Responsive Government (Princeton Studies in Political Behavior, 1)

By Christopher H. Achen, Larry M. Bartels

i
The Political Brain: The Role of Emotion in Deciding the Fate of the Nation

The Political Brain: The Role of Emotion in Deciding the Fate of the Nation

By Drew Westen

i
The Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion

The Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion

By Jonathan Haidt

i
How Democracies Die

How Democracies Die

By Steven Levitsky, Daniel Ziblatt

i
1
Shawn
Engineer
Researching: Belief Systems

Type: collection