One Nation, After All

The subject of great critical acclaim and extensive review attention, One Nation, After All concludes that the reports of cultural divides are highly exaggerated, and Americans agree about much more -- on religion, family, race, and morality -- than politicians and media pundits would have us believe. These are among the surprising findings reached by renowned sociologist Alan Wolfe after two years of listening to middle-class citizens in eight communities around the nation.

In frank and often moving language, middle-class Americans, "left" and "right", express their views about immigrants of all races -- whom they welcome but insist should learn English and work hard -- and about giving a second chance to the deserving poor but not to the undeserving. They are remarkably tolerant on questions of religion, affirmative action, and family issues -- but not about homosexuality.

Wolfe's study, which has already had an impact on the way we discuss domestic politics, disproves thought cliches that have wrongly polarized Americans, and shows the many values that hold our nation together.