The State of Disunion

The State of Disunion offers a compelling explanation of how America became a fractured, “red versus blue nation. Nicole Mellow's account of the ways that regional differences feed today's bitter partisanship leads to a simple but stark thesis: for office seekers, regional cultural and economic concerns are increasingly trumping political party affiliations. Her assessment represents a marked inversion of accepted theory and succinctly addresses the red state–blue state cleavages that have emerged in congressional and presidential elections over the last several decades. By thorough analysis of congressional battles over trade, welfare, and abortion, Mellow shows how regional economic, racial, and cultural divisions configure national party building and legislative conflicts. She argues that regions are a vital consideration in electoral politics precisely because they fuse the material and ideological expectations of voters. Using historical case studies and current policy debates, Mellow demonstrates how these divisions will continue to shape American politics for years to come. Featuring narratives from recent debates over abortion, social safety net programs, and international trade, and bolstered by detailed maps, tables, and graphs, The State of Disunion explains the distinctiveness of regions in American politics and provides an excellent point of entry for further scholarship on contemporary partisanship.