Political Polarization

The COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, social inclusion, and other important topics have increased political polarization in the U.S. and globally. Political parties are seeing their members move more toward the extremes, further from any middle ground that was once held. This growing polarization has extended to elected officials, making bipartisan collaboration on critical issues increasingly difficult at both the federal and state levels. The shrinking middle ground poses challenges for policymaking and governance across the country. Planners will have to adjust and learn how to navigate this fragmented environment when engaging community members in planning processes.

For general information on community engagement and public participation in times of political polarization, see PAS Report 593, Planning With Diverse Communities, and PAS Report 595, A Planner's Guide to Meeting Facilitation.

To learn more about managing conflict as a planner, see the October 2023 Planning article, "Planners Manage Conflict Every Day: Here's How to Get Better at It," or watch APA's Passport course, Mastering Conflict for Effective Planning: Navigation and Resolution.