The Gist Colin Woodard: The Federation Is the Fault Line
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Nov 5, 2025 Colin Woodard, an author and researcher known for his work on regional political cultures, delves into America's complex divisions. He discusses how his regional map, illustrated in his book *Nations Apart*, reveals deep cultural divides that are increasingly volatile. Woodard highlights the impact of post-Cold War neoliberal policies and social media in exacerbating these fractures. He also analyzes how local institutions preserve cultural traits and why these regional identities threaten national unity more than ever.
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Settlement Roots Shape Regional Culture
- Regional cultures in the U.S. trace to original settlement projects and shape present-day politics and social norms.
- These cultural zones cross state lines and persist despite immigration and change.
States Hide Multiple Cultural Zones
- State borders often mask internal cultural divisions created by different settlement streams.
- Maryland illustrates this with distinct Tidewater and inland settlement legacies producing three political cultures.
Regional Differences Are Growing Not Shrinking
- Despite mass immigration and mobility, regional cultural differences are not eroding and in many cases are intensifying.
- County-level data show persistent gaps across health, crime, and economic metrics aligned with those regions.
