Political Tribalism

Combining hard data with the author’s personal story of a life in the U.S. South and then as a university professor, this book sheds a new light on tribalistic ideologies. Such ideologies are a deeply troubling feature of civic life in America and in many western democracies as they erode trust among citizens, sow divisions, and pervert a larger pursuit of truth and understanding. Philosopher Allen Buchanan weaves together his own autobiography with the latest research in psychology, politics, anthropology, and philosophy to better understand the nature and causes of ideological tribalism, its pernicious effects on the individual and society, and the best possible solutions for curbing its spread.

The story begins with Buchanan as a middle class, white boy in 1950s Arkansas, absorbing and espousing the racist ideas of his parents, church, and community. This beginning intentionally inculpates the author in subsequent criticisms of tribalism and – because Buchanan left this world and came to reject its values—makes convincing his arguments at the book’s conclusion on how to escape tribalism’s tight grasp. Before offering such final prescriptions, Buchanan examines the evolutionary origins of tribalistic thinking and shows how unyielding group ideologies short-circuit truth-seeking, attack the meaning and purpose of a liberal education, undermine a shared national identity, and—thanks to social media—prop up a shallow and false self identity.

With a sharp eye towards tribalistic ideologies on the right and the left, Political Tribalism: How it Hijacks Our Minds and Diminishes Our Humanity is a compelling call for a healthier and deeper intellectual life of a democracy’s polity and for its individual citizens.