Bridge Builders

In these turbulent times, defined by ideological chasms, clashes over social justice, and a pandemic intersecting with misinformation, Americans seem hopelessly divided along fault lines of politics, race, religion, class, and culture. Yet not everyone is accepting the status quo. In Bridge Builders: Bringing People Together in a Polarized Age, journalist Nathan Bomey paints a forensic portrait of Americans who are spanning gaping divides between people of difference. From clergy fighting racism in Charlottesville to a former Republican congressman engaging conservatives on climate change and Appalachian journalists restoring social trust with the public, these countercultural leaders all believe in the power of forging lasting connections to bring about profound change. Though the blueprints for political, social, and cultural bridges vary widely, bridge builders have much in common—and we have much to learn from them. In this book, Bomey dissects the transformational ways in which bridge builders are combatting polarization by pursuing reconciliation, rejecting misinformation, and rethinking the principle of compromise.

Prologue: The Better Angels of Our Nature Introduction Part I: Forging a Path Toward Reconciliation Chapter 1: From Blindness to Sight Chapter 2: From Human to Human Chapter 3: From Hating to Healing Part II: Reconnecting with the Truth in the Misinformation Age Chapter 4: From Fiction to Fact Chapter 5: From Caricature to Nuance Chapter 6: From Misunderstanding to Understanding Part III: Redrafting the Blueprint of Compromise Chapter 7: From Denying to Believing Chapter 8: From Rigidity to Flexibility Chapter 9: From Discord to Collaboration Conclusion Acknowledgments List of Interviews Notes