Transforming Political Divides: How Student Identities and Campus Contexts Shape Friendships Between Liberals and Conservatives

• In Event: Sociocultural Influences on Learning, Leadership, and Friendships

Abstract

A reflection of rampant and growing political polarization in U.S. society, friendships across political differences are far too uncommon. In bringing together students of different social identities and views that span the political spectrum, higher education holds tremendous potential for fostering boundary-crossing friendships. This study draws on data from a national, longitudinal study of more than 5,700 college students attending 118 institutions to address the question: What personal and contextual factors facilitate students’ friendships across political differences during college? The findings suggest that a considerable number of college students transcend political divides in their friendships and that campus and classroom climate play a part in establishing these potentially transformative relationships, revealing important implications for educators in higher education and beyond.

Authors

• Alyssa N. Rockenbach, North Carolina State University

• Tara D. Hudson, Kent State University