Democracy: From polarization to common ground

Democracy: From polarization to common ground Jared Wesley, PhD, discusses how the Common Ground team at the University of Alberta helps individuals renew their commitment to decency and respect within democracies. This conversation addresses issues concerning political polarization and research on populism. Several liberal democracies appear caught in a negative feedback loop, as political polarization and democratic backsliding reinforce and accelerate each other. To break the vicious cycle, we need to reinvest in pluralism – the belief that a healthy society thrives not by marginalizing our opponents, but by honouring and incorporating a diversity of perspectives into our democratic processes. Our Common Ground team at the University of Alberta is helping people renew that basic commitment to decency and respect in our democracies.