Reading the Moment

A Guide to Understanding -- and Overcoming -- Factionalism

Factionalism is all around us, it seems.

People are treating the interests of their small in-groups ahead of the common good. Political polarization appears to be deepening, whether between left and right or populism versus pluralism. People seem more resistant than ever to facts. Conspiracies spread with alarming speed. Resentment fuels anger at elites, at immigrants, at urban progressives, at rural conservatives—at almost everyone. Institutions that once held society together—government, media, universities—are no longer trusted by large swaths of the public.

How did we get here? And more importantly, how do we move forward?

For those trying to make sense of this moment, I’ve compiled a reading list of books that I turn to for essential insights. Some of them explore the deep psychological and evolutionary roots of political division, while others examine the powerful role of resentment in shaping public attitudes. Others still push us to consider what we can actually do about it—how persuasion, bridge-building, and historical lessons might offer a way forward.

If you want a roadmap for understanding and repairing our democratic crisis, this reading list is a good place to start. Each book is grounded in evidence but written for a popular audience. I tried my best to include a diverse range of authors, but I’m sure I missed some. I welcome your suggestions at the end of the post.

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Why We Are So Divided: The Psychological and Evolutionary Roots of Polarization

Before we can talk about solutions, we need to understand the nature of the problem. Political division isn’t just about social media algorithms or bad actors manipulating the system. It’s also about how our brains work.

Sander van der Linden, Foolproof

Misinformation as a Cognitive Virus

Why do people believe obvious falsehoods? Why do conspiracy theories take hold so easily? Van der Linden argues that misinformation spreads like a virus, taking advantage of cognitive shortcuts that evolved to help us survive but now make us vulnerable. We trust people in our in-groups. We look for patterns even where none exist. We seek certainty and resist ideas that contradict our worldviews. These instincts once kept us safe but now make us susceptible to political manipulation.

David McRaney, How Minds Change

Why Facts Don’t Win Arguments

If misinformation is so powerful, how do we fight it? McRaney’s answer: not by throwing more facts at people. His book explores the neuroscience and psychology of belief, showing that people don’t change their minds through logical argumentation alone. Instead, persuasion happens through trust, personal relationships, and gradual shifts in identity.

Timothy Caulfield, The Certainty Illusion

Why We Cling to False Beliefs

One of the biggest drivers of polarization is our brain’s addiction to certainty. Caulfield explains that in a complex world, we crave simple answers—black-and-white thinking, heroes and villains, us vs. them. This makes us resistant to nuance and more likely to embrace extreme positions. It’s not just misinformation that’s the problem—it’s our psychological need for clarity, even when the truth is messy.

David Samson, Our Tribal Future

The Deep Evolutionary Roots of Political Conflict

Zooming out even further, Samson argues that tribalism is hardwired into human nature. Our ancestors survived by forming tight-knit groups and distrusting outsiders. Today, those instincts are fueling political polarization, as people increasingly define themselves by ideological and cultural tribes rather than shared civic identity. We’re not just disagreeing over policies—we’re treating politics like a war between us and them.

Key Takeaway: The forces driving political division are deeply embedded in human nature. Polarization isn’t just a media problem or a political strategy—it’s a cognitive, psychological, and evolutionary challenge.

The Politics of Resentment: How Identity and Emotion Fuel Division

If our brains are wired for tribalism, certainty, and misinformation, what are people actually resentful about? The next two books examine how feelings of alienation, disrespect, and betrayal shape political behavior.

Arlie Russell Hochschild, Strangers in Their Own Land

Why Many Conservatives Feel Betrayed by Their Own Country

Hochschild embeds herself in Louisiana to understand the worldview of working-class conservatives. She finds that their anger is not just economic but emotional. Many feel that they’ve worked hard and played by the rules, yet they’re falling behind while others—immigrants, minorities, liberal elites—seem to be getting ahead. Government is seen as the hand that rewards "line-cutters" rather than helping those who have been waiting their turn.

Katherine Cramer, The Politics of Resentment

The Rural-Urban Divide and the Crisis of Trust

Cramer uncovers a similar dynamic in rural Wisconsin, where people feel that urban elites look down on them, control state resources, and dictate policy without understanding their struggles. Resentment isn’t just about economics—it’s about dignity. Many rural voters feel that their contributions to society (farming, manufacturing, resource extraction) are undervalued by those who dominate media, politics, and cultural institutions.

Key Takeaway: Political polarization isn’t just about ideology or partisanship. It’s about resentment—fueled by cultural identity, perceived loss of status, and deep emotional grievances.

Can We Rebuild Common Ground? Lessons from the Past and Present

If tribalism and resentment are so deeply ingrained, is there any hope of reversing polarization? The next four books offer a roadmap for how change happens.

Robert Putnam, The Upswing

What the Past Can Teach Us About Rebuilding Trust

Putnam provides a historical perspective, showing how America moved from deep inequality and individualism in the early 1900s to a more cohesive, civic-minded society by the mid-20th century—and then back again to polarization today. His research suggests that while we’re in a period of division now, we can build a more inclusive and cooperative society again.

Naomi Klein, Doppelganger

Conspiracy Thinking and the Politics of Paranoia

Klein offers a deeply personal and political exploration of what happens when people break with their ideological pasts and embrace conspiracy thinking. She shows how individuals who once identified as progressive (like Naomi Wolf, with whom Klein is often confused) drift into reactionary politics and how polarization often operates as a mirror, with both sides seeing themselves as the true victims.

Anand Giridharadas, The Persuaders

How to Change Minds Without Losing Your Own

Giridharadas highlights activists and organizers who are successfully persuading people across ideological divides. His key insight? Persuasion happens through empathy, storytelling, and relationship-building—not through debate, fact-checking, or shaming.

Tania Israel, Beyond Your Bubble

Practical Skills for Bridging the Divide

If The Persuaders offers case studies in successful persuasion, Israel provides a hands-on guide for how to have hard political conversations. She draws on psychological research to outline strategies for listening deeply, asking better questions, and finding common values—even when disagreement remains.

Key Takeaway: Polarization isn’t permanent. Persuasion is possible—but only through empathy, storytelling, and genuine dialogue, not debate or fact-checking. Bridging divides requires both systemic reform and interpersonal connection.

What This Means for Those Trying to Forge Common Ground

Taken together, these books paint a clear picture:

1. Polarization is deeply rooted in human psychology. We are wired for tribalism, certainty, and resistance to change.

2. Resentment is a powerful political force. Many people feel ignored, looked down upon, and alienated. Until those feelings are addressed, polarization will persist.

3. Persuasion is possible, but only if we do it differently. Lecturing people isn’t productive. We need to learn how to meet people where they are.

4. History shows that change is possible. Polarization isn’t inevitable. But overcoming it requires both systemic reform and grassroots persuasion.

If you’re looking for a place to start in making sense of today’s political landscape, this reading list offers both the diagnosis and the tools for action. It doesn’t provide easy answers, but it does offer something more valuable: a roadmap for understanding where we are—and how we might move forward.

If you have other books to recommend for a general audience, please feel free to leave a comment below. What are you reading to make sense of the world?