In 'Political Tribes', Amy Chua explores how identity politics shape societies and drive political behavior across the globe. She argues that individuals often prioritize their tribal affiliations over national unity, leading to conflict and division. Through captivating stories and insightful analysis, Chua reveals the implications of tribalism in American politics and beyond. She challenges readers to reconsider their understanding of democracy and civic engagement in the context of an increasingly polarized world. This thought-provoking book invites you to reflect on the forces that bind—and break—us in our quest for belonging.
By Amy Chua
Published: 2019
"In a world increasingly defined by ethnic and tribal loyalties, we must learn that our differences can be a source of strength, rather than division."
The bestselling author of Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother, Yale Law School Professor Amy Chua offers a bold new prescription for reversing our foreign policy failures and overcoming our destructive political tribalism at home Humans are tribal. We need to belong to groups. In many parts of the world, the group identities that matter most – the ones that people will kill and die for – are ethnic, religious, sectarian, or clan-based. But because America tends to see the world in terms of nation-states engaged in great ideological battles – Capitalism vs. Communism, Democracy vs. Authoritarianism, the “Free World” vs. the “Axis of Evil” – we are often spectacularly blind to the power of tribal politics. Time and again this blindness has undermined American foreign policy. In the Vietnam War, viewing the conflict through Cold War blinders, we never saw that most of Vietnam’s “capitalists” were members of the hated Chinese minority. Every pro-free-market move we made helped turn the Vietnamese people against us. In Iraq, we were stunningly dismissive of the hatred between that country’s Sunnis and Shias. If we want to get our foreign policy right – so as to not be perpetually caught off guard and fighting unwinnable wars – the United States has to come to grips with political tribalism abroad. Just as Washington’s foreign policy establishment has been blind to the power of tribal politics outside the country, so too have American political elites been oblivious to the group identities that matter most to ordinary Americans – and that are tearing the United States apart. As the stunning rise of Donald Trump laid bare, identity politics have seized both the American left and right in an especially dangerous, racially inflected way. In America today, every group feels threatened: whites and blacks, Latinos and Asians, men and women, liberals and conservatives, and so on. There is a pervasive sense of collective persecution and discrimination. On the left, this has given rise to increasingly radical and exclusionary rhetoric of privilege and cultural appropriation. On the right, it has fueled a disturbing rise in xenophobia and white nationalism. In characteristically persuasive style, Amy Chua argues that America must rediscover a national identity that transcends our political tribes. Enough false slogans of unity, which are just another form of divisiveness. It is time for a more difficult unity that acknowledges the reality of group differences and fights the deep inequities that divide us.
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“In a world increasingly defined by ethnic and tribal loyalties, we must learn that our differences can be a source of strength, rather than division.”
Political Tribes
By Amy Chua
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Amy Chua is an American lawyer, academic, and author, best known for her influential books on culture and parenting. She gained widespread prominence with her memoir 'Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother,' which sparked intense debate about parenting styles and cultural differences in raising children. Her other notable works include 'Day of Empire,' which explores the rise and fall of empires, and 'The Triple Package,' co-authored with Jed Rubenfeld, which examines the cultural factors that contribute to success. Chua's writing is often characterized by its provocative themes, personal anecdotes, and a blend of scholarly analysis with accessible narrative.
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