Polarized by Degrees

Reviews / Votes

'Polarized by Degrees, illuminates in detail the most consequential transformation of American politics since the New Deal realignment: The conversion of the working class Democratic party into the party of educated elites and the Republican transition from the party of business to a populist party of whites without college degrees. Written by two of the nation's foremost political scientists, Matt Grossmann and David A. Hopkins, this book provides crucial understanding of contemporary elections that is both accessible to laymen and revealing for scholars. Polarized by Degrees is essential reading for everyone trying to figure out what the hell is going on in American politics.' Thomas B. Edsall, Columnist, The New York Times 'In Polarized by Degrees, two astute analysts of American party politics examine how a culture war has transformed society and politics in recent decades. In their riveting account, as college-educated Americans adopted cultural liberalism on social issues, they turned away from their long-standing support of the Republican Party and embraced the Democratic Party; meanwhile, those with less education took the reverse course, and in the process remade the Republican Party into a populist vehicle fueled by distrust of experts. A deeply insightful journey through a tumultuous period that shows how, once the dust settles, the United States will have become a different place than it was in the late twentieth century.' Suzanne Mettler, author of Four Threats: The Recurring Crises of American Democracy 'If you don't understand the role that educational attainment plays in American politics, you can't understand American politics. Nowhere have I seen this phenomenon better analyzed, explained and deconstructed than Polarized by Degrees.' Amy Walter, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief, The Cook Political Report '... makes a strong case that the divide over education is the one that determines more than any other how our politics work.' Paul Waldman, Democracy 'In their deeply researched account, Grossman and Hopkins delve into the implications of a related but less widely appreciated trend: the very rapid growth in the number of college-educated Americans in recent decades.' Jessica T. Mathews, Foreign Affairs 'For a political science audience, the book might be understood chiefly as providing an explanation for why the U.S. is polarized. For an organizational studies audience, however, the book may have a uniquely generative impact by highlighting research avenues that organizational scholars may be exceptionally well positioned to pursue.' Reuben Hurst, Administrative Science Quarterly