A response to identity politics needs to unite not divide
A characteristic of today’s western political divides has been the rise of identity politics, who you are politically and who and what you identify with*. In particular this has seen the growth of political tribalism that is different from traditional party politics and even cuts across it. Such people are often angry and hostile towards traditional cosmopolitan liberalism and seek to take back control, as with “America First”, exit from the EU or Islamaphobia. Many observers have been baffled by these movements, seeing them as irrational, foolish and impractical, and have been bereft of effective responses other than trying to deny them their victory. Instead the response has been to abuse and denounce them, which has simply fuelled the anger and caused them to double-down behind their cause. In the case of Trump and Brexiters, this would relate to white, … Read more