#37 Rebecca Glazier, UA-Little Rock political scientist & Associate Professor, 6-13-23, Part 2: OTOH Episode 37

In part 2 of our interview with Dr. Rebecca Glazier, Professor in UA-Little Rock's school of Public Affairs, Rebecca reveals strategies she employs for dealing with difficult, rigid people in her attempts to bridge differences, including "cross-cutting," as ways to build more positive relationships and interactions. An example is described in how a potentially difficult conversation about immigration led to finding several elements of common ground. Rebecca views religion as one of several potential means for bringing the right and left politically toward common ground. She used this approach in a "Race and Faith" summit of faith-based leaders in the community, and she outlines some of the both difficult and encouraging moments from that summit. Various negative societal influences, such as social media, gerrymandering, and others are described in terms of their tendency to increase polarization, as well as positive alternative strategies for broadening one's view of their "in-group." Rebecca points out how politicians are "single-minded seekers of re-election" and the implications of that reality on compromise as well as how to respond. She then concludes with additional ideas for how to reduce defensiveness when having political discussions.