Blue and Red

Relying on governmental data, national polling organizations, and a combination of scholarly and media articles, Blue and Red: A Divided America identifies and examines the fundamental differences in values that Americans hold with regard to issues of democracy, racial injustice, and equal economic opportunity.The main argument of the book is that what we have been taught are American values are only aspirational and are not shared by large portions of Americans. It posits that these divisions have deep historical roots, have always been present in American polity, and are not simply a result of binary classifications such as rural versus urban, educated versus uneducated, male versus female, and low income versus high income communities. Rather, the differences lie in varying perceptions of American values and how those values are translated into the realities of modern American society. Throughout the text, tables, charts, maps, pictures, and graphs provide readers with contemporary data on political opinions, racial injustice, inequality, economic growth, the ethnic composition of countries, the impacts of COVID-19 on American society, and more to illustrate the differences in values and opinions in the U.S.Providing students with a highly relevant and research-based perspective on the divisions within American society, Blue and Red is an ideal resource for courses and programs in political science.

"Professor Moshiri's book is a valuable addition to the ongoing discussion about who we are as a nation. Relying on government data, national polling organizations, and a combination of scholarly and media articles, the book identifies significant and growing divides within our American body politic. Moshiri explores current differences in the proper role of government, approaches to inequality, COVID-19 policies, elections, voting procedures, and the effects of demographic changes. Given the current divide in our politics, this is a book that would be of great interest to students of American government and lay people alike."David Dupree, Professor of Political Science and Chair, Victor Valley Community College

Farrokh Moshiri is an associate professor of political science at Victor Valley College, as well as a lecturer of business communication at California State University Fullerton. He achieved A.B.D status in political science from Northwestern University and holds an M.B.A. from the University of California at Riverside. Moshiri is the coauthor and coeditor of Revolutions of the Late Twentieth Century and the author of United States Foreign Policy in the Middle East: The Historical Foundations of Neo-Conservatism.