Our Patchwork Nation - Dante Chinni

A provocative counterargument to the blue/red divide that
illuminates our country's multidimensional political spectrum.

In a climate of culture wars and economic uncertainty, the media
have often reduced America to a simplistic schism between red and blue
states. In response to that oversimplification, journalist Dante Chinni
teamed up with political geographer James Gimpel, using on-the-ground
reporting and statistical analysis to get past generalizations and
probe American communities in depth.

Looking at the data, they recognized that the country breaks into
twelve distinct types of communities, whose differences and specific
concerns shed light on the subtle distinctions in how Americans vote,
shop, and otherwise behave. Showcasing personal interviews, combined
with facts and statistics, Our Patchwork Nation offers a
brilliant new way to examine the issues that matter most to our
communities, and to our nation.

Dante Chinni is the correspondent for the Patchwork nation
project, a collaboration among The Christian Science Monitor,
PBS News Hour, and PBS member stations. He lives in Washington,
D.C.
James Gimpel, Ph.D., is a professor of government at the
University of Maryland, College Park.

"Brings a fascinating insight into what makes Americans different these
days." - The Miami Herald