Identity Politics, Shifting Demographics & Social Change

Our Constitution begins with the iconic words, “We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union.” In other words, one nation made up of individuals. America was not to be defined by race or ethnicity but by “creedal identity” and political ideas such as loyalty to the Constitution, the rule of law, and belief in the fundamental law of human equality. Yet as diversity continues to increase in the U.S., can this creedal identity handle the increasing tensions between increasingly diverse individuals–and groups of individuals? Are these tensions greater than they’ve been in the past and if so, why and what are the implications if we wish to “perfect our union”? Can we as Americans create an inclusive way of thinking about what we share and what we can do together that honors individual identity while emphasizing an integrative identity?