Author: Isabel Sawhill
Affiliation: Brookings Institution
Organization/Publisher: Foreign Affairs
Date/Place: January 4, 2021/USA
Type of Literature: Article
Word Count: 2577
Link: https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/how-biden-can-rebuild-divided-and-distrustful-nation
Keywords: Identity, America, Trump, Biden
Brief:
In this article, the author talks about what has happened after the recent American elections and how the results will affect not only the present time, but also the future of the United States of America. Despite Joe Biden winning the presidential election, Donald Trump is still questioning the integrity of the election, along with the majority of his supporters. In the opinion of the author, this division in American society poses a threat to liberal democracy, and this division also creates an identity crisis in American society, as opinion polls have shown that the motivation behind the election of Democrats was a result of a set of issues such as racism, abortion, crime and dealing with the Corona pandemic. Meanwhile, about half of Republicans believe that God has chosen Trump to save the country from liberalism. This new form of tribalism is often irrational and emotionally driven. According to the author, identity, once adopted, is more difficult to change than to change an opinion. These growing divisions between Democrats and Republicans are no longer related to politics, but rather about what it means to be American. The writer touches on his book “Forgotten Americans” and refers to the comprehensive agenda that he set out to address—the economic division. Addressing media weakness and the importance of creating direct contact between different ethnic groups can help Americans build bridges instead of walls. All these matters would bridge the rift, according to the author.
By: Taqwa Abu Kmeil, CIGA Research Assistant
