Divided We Fall: The Roots and Rise of Political Polarization

What if America's greatest threat isn't foreign but internal-a society so fractured it can no longer govern itself?

Divided We Fall is a razor-sharp investigation into how polarization evolved from a feature of democracy into a systemic threat to its survival. Blending historical analysis, case studies, and cutting-edge research, Philip Stengel dissects the roots of ideological division-from the Federalist debates to the Civil War, from the collapse of local journalism to the rise of algorithmic outrage and foreign disinformation.

This book examines:

• How media fragmentation and social platforms exploit outrage for profit

• The geopolitical manipulation of domestic unrest by foreign powers

• The collapse of cross-partisan communities and personal relationships

• The real-world consequences: from school board brawls to civic disengagement

With a critical eye and relentless clarity, Divided We Fall offers not easy answers, but necessary frameworks for understanding-and confronting-a polarized age. For anyone seeking to move beyond tribalism and reclaim democratic discourse, this is essential reading.