Ten Years After Brexit: Tribal

Available for 37 days

It's often said that the Brexit vote exposed a deep schism over Europe at the heart of the country. Professor James Tilley argues this is not the case. The Referendum simply forced people to pick a side. And the minute you pick a side, you enter the world of tribalism. And tribalism goes some way to explain a decade of division and vitriol, amid the emergence of two entirely new political identities, the leaver and remainer. This programme lists the phenomena that happen once you pick a side, from loving your own guys, to hating your opponents, to the motivated reasoning which sees the information around you processed in a way which aligns with your existing beliefs. Citing examples from the tortuous aftermath of the vote, and speaking to experts on group thinking, Professor Tilley head to his first football match, to explore how it is indeed possible to become passionate, and committed, to a cause which just a short while ago, was not on your radar. The challenge is, whether you can perceive the effects of tribalism in your own political thinking. Presented by Professor James Tilley Produced by Kevin Core