Ezra's Bookshelf

What Goes Without Saying

by Taylor N. Carlson and Jaime E. Settle · 317 pages · ~6 hrs

Politics & GovernmentPsychology & Mind

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Political scientists Taylor Carlson and Jaime Settle examine why political conversations across lines of difference have become so difficult, arguing that the problem lies not just in polarization but in deep psychosocial dynamics that make such exchanges emotionally threatening. Drawing on survey data, experiments, and in-depth interviews, they show how identity, emotion, and social context shape political communication in ways that rational models of deliberation cannot capture. The book examines what they call 'political friction' - the discomfort people feel when encountering disagreement - and why this friction leads many to avoid political discussion entirely while radicalizing others. Carlson and Settle bring insights from psychology and communication studies to bear on political science questions, creating an interdisciplinary account of democratic conversation's breakdown. Their research reveals how social media environments amplify friction by stripping away the context that makes face-to-face disagreement manageable. But they also show that friction exists independent of technology, rooted in how people's political identities have become fused with their sense of self. The book offers no easy solutions but clarifies the challenges facing efforts to promote democratic dialogue. For anyone puzzled by the deterioration of political discourse, this work provides essential analysis of the social and psychological dynamics at play.

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