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Donald Trump understands something very important about American democracy: We dont debate public policy, we fumble our way toward a shared political culture. So if you want to control the debate over how to build a health care system, you first have to capture our politicalculture-- our values, norms, shared assumptions, what we feel and believe about ourselves. Trump gets that. So he's waging a culture war, tweet by tweet.

But the battle to capture Americas political culture has a long history. On race and gender, science and religion, matters of sex and media and war and peace all of it there's a backstory, starring somebody like Donald Trump. Somebody who wentall into change what Americans feel and believe about a given issue. So over the next several weeks, we're going to meet some of those people and tell the stories that brought us to this juncture in our political culture.

The United States of Anxiety: Culture Warsintroduces listeners to people who have been battling to shape Americas political culture for decades. We profile culture warriors, past and present, who have shaped debates over race, religion, science, sexuality, gender and more. We connect those debates to real people, with real stakes in the outcome. Were filling in the blanks--hopefully answering questions you didnt even know you had--and were asking, what are you willing to fight for? Because if you want to control American politics, youve first got to capture American culture.

Beginning May 9, join us inThe United States of Anxiety: Culture Wars.

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Host: Kai Wright Produced by: WNYC - KNPR