What Conventional Wisdom Gets Wrong About Political Polarization | Centennial Lecture Series

Talk by:

David Broockman

Associate Professor of Economics, University of California, Berkeley

followed by an informal conversation with:

Anna Harvey

SSRC President

Event Recording

About the Lecture

We hear often that Americans are more polarized than ever. In this lecture, Professor David Broockman will explore how Americans are politically polarized, why–and why not–this matters, and potential solutions. Professor Broockman will discuss how his research has challenged conventional wisdom on: (1) to what extent Americans’ frustrations with government result from politicians being too extreme, (2) to what extent voters’ dislike of each other–so-called affective polarization–contributes to the nation’s political challenges, and (3) how we all can have more productive and persuasive conversations with our political rivals.

About David Broockman

David Broockman is an Associate Professor at the Travers Department of Political Science at the University of California, Berkeley. Professor Broockman is the author of over three dozen peer-reviewed scholarly essays focusing on American politics. His research has overturned conventional wisdom regarding the nature, extent, and consequences of political polarization in the American public; how political campaigns can persuade voters; and how to have productive conversations to bridge divides and reduce prejudice.