Suzanne Mettler is the John L. Senior Professor of American Institutions at Cornell University. She is the coauthor of Four Threats with Robert Lieberman and Rural Versus Urban: The Growing Divide that Threatens Democracy coauthored with Trevor Brown. The Democracy Paradox is made in partnership with the Kellogg Institute of the Keough School of Global Affairs at the University of Notre... Continue Reading →
Democratic Resilience? As I type these thoughts, my mind wanders to events from last year. The assault on the capitol surpassed the greatest fears of many including myself. Some will note the Republic did not fall. The election was ultimately respected and upheld. Yet, very few thought the collapse of American Democracy was a realistic... Continue Reading →
Introduction This week features books on polarization, American history, corruption, privatization, and philosophy. A few books like Democratic Resilience and Hannah Arendt and Isaiah Berlin offer more academic reads, while American Kleptocracy and The Privatization of Everything look to reach a broader audience. Finally, Diana Schaub's His Greatest Speeches will appeal to history buffs and scholars alike. In the meantime, don't miss the... Continue Reading →
Polarization has become known as the great challenge for American Democracy in the Twenty-First Century. Suzanne Mettler and Robert Lieberman include it among their Four Threats. So long as polarization is portrayed as a problem, the solution remains simple, although difficult to achieve. The solution to polarization is described as compromise and moderation. But what... Continue Reading →
