On this page you'll find readings and resources that we think are particularly helpful for fostering mutual understanding across the political divide.
To help liberals understand (and be civil to) conservatives:
Videos [to come]
Other Online Resources:
- Read this essay: What Makes People Vote Republican, by Jonathan Haidt, on Edge.org.
- Read this paper on the psychological foundations of morality and ideology, by Jon Haidt and Jesse Graham.
- Read Ch. 9 of The Happiness Hypothesis, on the psychological dimension of divinity, which tries to explain what many religious people find objectionable about a purely secular culture.
- Read this article on the lack of ideological diversity in psychology, and why the exclusion of conservatives harms the scientific and pro-social missions of psychology: Redding, R.E. (2001). Sociopolitical diversity in psychology: The case for pluralism. American Psychologist, 56, 205-215. [link to come]
Books:
- James Ault, Spirit and Flesh. (On the moral world of a "religious right" community, interpreted by a sympathetic liberal sociologist).
- Russell Kirk, The Conservative Mind: From Burke to Eliot. (One of the founding works of modern conservative thought).
Movies:
- Born Again: Life in a fundamentalist Baptist church. (James Ault's documentary about the church he describes in Spirit and Flesh)
- Here's are lists of the best movies of all times that illustrate conservative lessons or ideals: From National Review, and from The Telegraph (UK) [posted by Haidt, with thanks to Carrie Rickey]
To help conservatives understand (and be civil to) liberals:
Videos:
- Talk by Bryan Stevenson, at TED 2012, on justice
Other Online resources
- Anthony Appiah, "The Seven Habits of Truly Liberal People." (A review in Slate magazine of Alan Wolfe's Future of Liberalism, which briefly summarizes what it means to be a liberal in 2009, while looking back to the long history of liberalism and its many meanings over the years.)
- Nick Bromell, "The Liberal Imagination of Frederick Douglass." In The American Scholar.
- [we need more here: what essays can transmit the essential insights of liberalism in a way that will appeal to conservatives? Please send suggestions to haidt at virginia.edu]
Books
- Anthony Appiah, Cosmopolitanism: Ethics in a world of strangers. (On how diverse modern societies can keep some of the richness of traditional ways and identities while avoiding the ugliness of identity politics.)
- Alan Wolfe, The Future of LIberalism. (On the history and future of liberalism, particularly its passionate commitment to two ideals: liberty and equality)
To help everyond understand libertarians, who are often ignored because they don't fit on the left-right spectrum:
- Rvi Iyer, et. al.: The largest study ever done of how libertarians differ, in values and personality traits, from liberals and conservatives.
- Jason Brennan: Libertarianism: What everyone needs to know.
:
Do you have a suggestion for an essay or other resource on the Web that can promote understanding and civil politics? Please email it to haidt at virginia.edu.
--This page is maintained by Jonathan Haidt
