Degrees of Division: Higher Education and Political Sorting in America (Featuring Dr. David Hopkins)

Deep Dive with Shawn C. Fettig

In this episode of Deep Dive, we examine the growing educational divide driving polarization in American politics and its implications for democracy. Dr. David Hopkins, co-author of the book Polarized by Degrees: How the Diploma Divide and the Culture War Transformed American Politics, joins the pod to explain how college attainment correlates with political alignment and explores cultural factors contributing to this complex landscape. We dig into:
• how the diploma divide influences voter behavior and party affiliation;
• if/how higher education shapes cultural and political identities;
• how populism connects with working-class cultural concerns;
• the fact that urban areas lean Democratic; rural areas gravitate towards
Republicans;
• the perceived liberal bias in academia fuels skepticism among conservatives;
and
• how/why dialogue and empathy are vital for bridging educational divides.

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فصول

1. The Educational Divide in American Politics (00:00:00)

2. Economic and Cultural Politics Interplay (00:06:43)

3. The Diploma Divide in Politics (00:19:19)

4. Higher Education Ideological Disputes (00:28:22)

5. Navigating Higher Ed in Political Divide (00:38:34)

6. Cultural Influence on Political Division (00:51:56)