In recent decades, the world has witnessed a shift in political competition, with political attitudes increasingly leaning toward ideological extremes. Some scholars have labeled this development “pernicious polarization,”1 where political difference transforms into social difference and political discourse breaks down into an “us” vs. “them” dynamic. Deep polarization and the rise of populism have precipitated the formation of different political and social groups who have become increasingly antagonistic toward one another rather than coexisting as a whole.

Beyond Polarization: Collaboration and Dialogue for Political Parties is a practical guide designed to assist political party practitioners in the process of strategically planning and implementing cross-party initiatives in coalition-building, policy development, and communications.  This tool outlines the key strategic considerations to consider when encouraging collaboration between political parties and other stakeholders and features several practical exercises to help reinforce those concepts in either single-party or cross-party training settings.