Note: This is Part 2 in a series on how (and when) to talk politics in today’s tense political climate. Click here to read Part 1: How to Talk Politics Without Destroying Your Relationships or Getting Yourself Fired: 3 Tips for Avoiding Disaster.

Our political divisiveness has gotten so bad that it often feels like we’re in a state of war. Battle lines have been drawn, and we now see our main mission as taking out the other side before they destroy the country.

When we feel like we’re in a state of emergency, it can sometimes feel like we need to take immediate action and change other people’s minds right now. The problem is, that’s generally not how it works. We don’t change minds, we change hearts. And it takes time.

So how do we do that?Continue Reading

Politics. That word probably evokes more fear and anxiety than that time your neighbor dressed up as a scary clown for Halloween. But unlike your neighbor’s scary clown costume, it doesn’t just come out for a few hours and then get buried in the back of a closet for the rest of the year. It’s everywhere. All the time. Everyone is constantly talking about it. Thinking about it. Fighting about it.

It’s easy to cast the blame of political divisiveness on the politicians. However, while they have done a lot to get us into this mess, the problem of political polarization extends far beyond the White House and Capital Hill. As a country we have become so divided and so hostile towards each other that our political differences are destroying relationships. They’re tearing apart families and friendships. And causing a lot of pain.

The hatred and tension in today’s political climate can seem overwhelming at times. How are we as individuals supposed to deal with all of this? What should we say? What should we do?Continue Reading

When people look at me, they generally don’t wonder if I’m a criminal. I’ve never had a security guard follow me around a store afraid I might steal something. I’ve never had a police officer mistake my cell phone for a gun. If I were on trial for a crime, I would be less likely to be convicted and, if I were convicted, I would probably get a lighter sentence.

As a white woman from the suburbs, I’ve never been on the receiving end of negative stereotyping in the justice system. My first real foray into the issue wasn’t until graduate school. I was writing my dissertation on moral judgment and decision making, and one of the issues I decided to focus on was stereotyping in the law.

I knew that stereotyping was still very much an issue in the US, so I wasn’t surprised to see the data on racial disparities in the law. What surprised me was just how widespread the effects of stereotyping can be.

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