Arlie Hochschild, a bestselling author and sociology professor, delves into the complexities of American politics and societal emotions. Drawing insights from her latest book, she explores the ‘deep story’ of rural America, filled with feelings of loss and pride. Hochschild discusses how nostalgia shapes voter behavior and the emotional toll of economic decline in communities. She emphasizes the need for constructive dialogue to mend societal divides, highlighting the risks of political manipulation and the emotional mechanisms driving far-right support.

In this engaging discussion, Rick Hasen, a UCLA law professor and election law expert, outlines the upcoming challenges Trump may face in contesting the 2024 election due to new legal reforms. Arlie Hochschild, a researcher focused on Trump supporters, shares insights from her book on how socio-economic hardships shape their political identity, exploring themes of pride and shame. Together, they stress the importance of empathy and respectful dialogue in understanding the complexities behind political divides.

Dr. Arlie Hochschild, an acclaimed author and sociologist, delves into the emotional and political turmoil of the white working class. She discusses how economic hardship and feelings of being left behind fuel support for authoritarian figures like Donald Trump. The conversation explores the disconnect between rural communities and urban elites, as well as the psychological forces at play in political discontent. Hochschild sheds light on the complexities of voter polarization and the impact of cultural resentment on American democracy.

After Arlie Hochschild published her book Strangers in Their Own Land: Anger and Mourning on the American Right, just before the 2016 election, it came to feel prescient. And the conversation Krista had with her in 2018 has now come to point straight to the heart of 2020 — a year in which many of us might say we feel like strangers in our own land and in our own world. Hochschild created a field within sociology looking at the social impact of emotion. She explains how our stories and truths — what we try to debate as issues in our social and political lives — are felt, not merely factual. And she shares why, as a matter of pragmatism, we have to take emotion seriously and do what feels unnatural: get curious and caring about the other side.Arlie Hochschild is professor emerita in the sociology department at the University of California, Berkeley. She is the author of ten books including The Managed Heart, The Second Shift, and Strangers in Their Own Land: Anger and Mourning on the American Right, a finalist for the National Book Award.Find the transcript for this show at onbeing.org.This show originally aired in October, 2018.

After Arlie Hochschild published her book Strangers in Their Own Land: Anger and Mourning on the American Right, just before the 2016 election, it came to feel prescient. And the conversation Krista had with her in 2018 has now come to point straight to the heart of 2020 — a year in which many of us might say we feel like strangers in our own land and in our own world. Hochschild created a field within sociology looking at the social impact of emotion. She explains how our stories and truths — what we try to debate as issues in our social and political lives — are felt, not merely factual. And she shares why, as a matter of pragmatism, we have to take emotion seriously and do what feels unnatural: get curious and caring about the other side.Arlie Hochschild is professor emerita in the sociology department at the University of California, Berkeley. She is the author of ten books including The Managed Heart, The Second Shift, and Strangers in Their Own Land: Anger and Mourning on the American Right, a finalist for the National Book Award.This interview is edited and produced with music and other features in the On Being episode "Arlie Hochschild — The Deep Stories of Our Time." Find the transcript for that show at onbeing.org.