Democracy and the polarization trap

Robert B. Talisse in IAI News:

The idea that polarization is the predominant ailment of American democracy looms large in political commentary.  It is asserted across the partisan spectrum, taking center stage in President Biden’s Inaugural Address and in recent statements by former Presidents Bush and Carter.  The diagnosis resonates with voters as well.  Though pronounced in the US, polarization isn’t strictly America’s problem.  The UK remains significantly divided over Brexit, and one in five French voters identifies as “extreme.”  A pair of researchers has called polarization the new specter haunting Europe.  Another team says it is a “global crisis.”

So, what is polarization and why is it such a problem? How can it be fixed?

More here.