New Book Reveals Nativism as the Driving Force Behind America's Political Divide

How Competing Visions of Belonging and Identity Are Reshaping U.S. and Global Politics

WASHINGTON, Nov. 3, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Why is America so divided—and what lies beneath the anger? A new book released today, Nativist Nation: Populism, Grievance, Identity, and the Transformation of American Politics (De Gruyter), argues that the answer isn't simply polarization or populism. It's nativism—the belief that the native-born should be favored over the foreign-born, a deeply ingrained belief system that defines who truly counts as part of "the national we."

Written by pollsters Clifford Young and Kirby Goidel,Nativist Nation draws on more than 150,000 interviews across 40 surveys in 30 countries conducted over the past decade. The authors show that what Americans experience as partisan conflict is in fact a broader legitimacy crisis—a contest between restrictive belonging, rooted in birth and ancestry, and civic belonging, grounded in ideals of freedom, fairness, and opportunity.

Through vivid real-world vignettes—including "A Tale of Two Americas," contrasting two high-school gyms in Maryland and Virginia—the book reveals how questions of identity shape elections, policy, and everyday moral life.

Central to the book is the Nativism Activation Model (NAM), which explains when nativism becomes politically powerful: when long-standing identity beliefs meet catalytic social change and a political entrepreneur gives them voice. From Trump's rise to Brexit to Bolsonaro, the same structure repeats across democracies worldwide.

"From the 2016 campaign's call to 'build the wall' to today's battles over immigration and identity, Americans are not just fighting about policy—they're fighting about belonging," said Young. "Until we understand this reality, we'll keep mistaking symptoms for causes."

Goidel adds, "Our data show that nativism is not a fringe attitude but a persistent set of beliefs. To rebuild trust, democracies must reconcile fairness and identity—what we call a grand bargain on belonging."

While Nativist Nation does not advocate specific policies, it challenges readers to look beyond party labels and consider how societies can balance borders and dignity, inclusion and identity.

Nativist Nation is available now in paperback ($26.99), hardcover ($96.99), or eBook ($96.99) from De Gruyter and major booksellers. For more information, please visit https://www.degruyterbrill.com.

ISBN: 978-3-11-138222-7

Publication Date: November 3, 2025

Authors: Clifford Young and Kirby Goidel

About the Authors:

Clifford Young is the former President and current Chair of Ipsos Public Affairs, as well as a Visiting Professor at Texas A&M University's Bush School of Government and Public Service.

Kirby Goidel is a Professor at the Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A&M University.

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SOURCE Clifford Young