Sebastian Junger + Dr. Hector A. Garcia: Sex, Power, and Partisanship

Partisanship has a profound impact on our political system, and deep roots in the human psyche. Our instinct to belong to small groups defined by a common purpose brings communities together—but can also pit them against one another. What solutions are there for rising above our ancestral past?

Clinical psychologist Dr. Hector A. Garcia studies the relationship between partisanship, power, and sex. He posits that our political orientations derive from an ancestral history of violent male competition, which influences how we respond to such politically divisive issues as equal rights, social welfare, and the climate crisis. He is joined by author Sebastian Junger (The Perfect Storm, Tribe) to discuss how our instinctive political tribalism keeps us from achieving stable, functioning societies.

A book signing for Sex, Power, and Partisanship: How Evolutionary Science Makes Sense of Our Political Divide (Hector Garcia) and Tribe: On Homecoming and Belonging (Sebastian Junger) follows the program.