Political Identity and Party Allegiance

We will be meeting at Southeast Regional in Room C.

I voted Democratic/Republican because that's what my parents do...

Political identity is a form of social identity marking membership of certain groups sharing a common struggle for a certain form of power (Wikipedia). Political identity can be shaped by familial influences, personal experiences, and personality development. Additionally, it is not a fixed construct, although most people do not significantly deviate from their established identity. The political identity a person holds directly influences their selection of a political party and informs political discourse.

Considering we live in a two-party system, party allegiance can create intense division between groups. Moreover, radicalism further increases division between people. Many have argued that a multi-party system would be a better alternative to the two-party system we have now. But would this cool the political atmosphere? In recent years, it appears that we have shifted to a new political dynamic—we have yet to see where this dynamic will take us...

Themes:
Political Identity
Why do you think many people aren't open to changing their political viewpoints?

Political Radicalization and Division
What do you think moves people towards political radicalization?

What can we do to lessen hostility in U.S. politics?

Structure of the U.S. Political System
What do you think are the pros and cons of our two-party system? Do you think a multi-party system is a better alternative?