Anthropology of Political Polarization

In this course we will apply the anthropology of evolution, religion and politics to analyze the operative mechanisms of political polarization. Our framework will include natural selection for accountability, moralism, and factionalism; how social groups define themselves through mimesis, othering, and scapegoating; how scapegoating justifies aggression; how sacrifice and other forms of ritualizing victimhood generate sanctity, sacrilege, and outrage; and how religious and political loyalty tests enforce social boundaries. Our case studies will include how antagonistic groups in contemporary U.S. society formulate conspiracy theories to justify mutual rejection 3 hrs. lect./disc.