At a time of stark polarization, Americans Reconnect: Talking Across the Political Divide offers an antidote to our national malaise: stories of people who model the listening skills and humanity necessary to bridge political differences, showing that Americans are still capable of civility and compassion when they disagree over hot button issues.
This radio program stands out amidst a firehouse of media stories that not only seem to accept polarization as an inalterable truth but, at times, even stoke it. By contrast, this program focuses on solutions to polarization. The production team spent more than a year researching and reporting on how people can maintain relationships despite stark political differences, offering hope for a divided electorate that Americans can still come together.
A partnership with the national nonprofit organization Braver Angels is central to the reporting. The group uses family and marriage therapy techniques to help people bridge political divisions. The insights of Braver Angels co-founder Bill Doherty deeply inform the radio special and are woven throughout.
Reported by award-winning journalist Catharine Richert and produced and edited by Annie Baxter and Lorna Benson. The team has led a year-long reporting project examining polarization – and how to overcome it.
