Upending American Politics: Theda Skocpol and Caroline Tervo
Theda Skocpol and Caroline Tervo discuss their 2020 book “Upending American Politics” with Kluge Center Program Specialists Dan Turello and Janna Deitz. In the book, Skocpol and Tervo examine the actions of the Tea Party movement as well as the more recent progressive resistance movement, in addition to elite advocacy organizations, wealthy donors and the Democratic and Republican parties in recent decades. Going well beyond national surveys, Skocpol, Tervo and their contributors use organizational documents, interviews and local visits to probe changing organizational configurations at the national level and in swing states. This volume analyzes conservative politics in the first section and progressive responses in the second to provide a clear overview of US politics as a whole. By highlighting evidence from the state level, it also reveals the important interplay of local and national trends.