The Bridging Differences: A Virtual Summit for Dialogue and Understanding brought a 400-strong tribe of bridgebuilders to discuss strategies that reduce toxic polarization and promote effective disagreeement.
If you are a bridge builder or just looking to expand your thinking, here are readings shared by the tribe that you can look to to help bridge divides in your own communities:
Books
The Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion – Jonathan Haidt (Noted as an essential read for bridge building work.)
The Unthinkable: Who Survives When Disaster Strikes – and Why – Amanda Ripley
You’re Not as Crazy as I Thought (But You’re Still Wrong): Conversations between a Die-Hard Liberal and a Devoted Conservative- Philip T. Neisser, Jacob Hess
Uncivil Agreement: How Politics Became Our Identity-Lilliana Mason
Diversity in Human Interactions: The Tapestry of America, What difference does a difference make? – John D. Robinson and Larry C. James
The Politics of Resentment: Rural Consciousness in Wisconsin – Katherine J. Cramer
Racing to Justice: Transforming Our Conceptions of Self and Other to Build an Inclusive Society – John A. Powell
Articles and Other Resources
Bridging Differences Playbook – Greater Good Science Centre
Tired of Feeling Divided? What Americans can do to De-Polarize our Nation – Peter T. Coleman Ph.D.
What Disasters Reveal About Hope And Humanity – Rebecca Solnit
The power of being heard: The benefits of ‘perspectivegiving’ in the context of intergroup conflict – Emile G. Bruneau and Rebecca Saxe
The Four Chaplains: Sacrifice at Sea
Myside Bias, Rational Thinking, and Intelligence – Keith E. Stanovich, Richard F. West, Maggie E. Toplak
Quotes and Poems
An Invitation to Brave Space – by Micky ScottBey Jones
“It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends.” – Albus Dumbledore
“Pessimism is for better times.” – Rajni Bakshi
“America looks a lot better from the bottom up”
“Time itself is neutral; it can be used either destructively or constructively.” -Martin Luther King, Jr.
If you are looking more inspiration and resources to bridge divides in your community, click on the resource lists below.
- Projects Reducing Polarization
- Projects Re-thinking Journalism
- Organizations Providing Cross-Partisan Research and Data
- Supporters of Cross-Partisan Work
Please share any additions or corrections in the comments below.
2 thoughts on “Reducing Polarization Reading List”