A Decent Meal

"Michael Carolan's collection of studies, experiences and stories in A Decent Meal is a reaction to the extreme social polarization in the U.S., which peaked with the storming of the Capitol. Knowledge of this disintegration, however, only appears in passing in his work – his main concern is how to stop the process. The sociologist does not think about big solutions, structural reforms or laws. For him, the focus is on the individual and the question of whether and how to get through to them. The book is a profoundly humanistic response to a tremendous humanistic crisis"—getAbstract Journal

"With interactions around food as his guiding framework, Michael Carolan seeks to answer questions keeping many Americans awake right now: Can we learn to see some of today's red-hot issues through a different lens? And in doing so, can we find common ground and maybe even some civility in these deeply divided times? An engaging and eminently readable book that may surprise with some of its observations, offering both insights and hope for our future conversations."—Joyce E. McConnell, President, Colorado State University

"This is an important and timely book that balances the voices of the right and left in a conversation about community and civility. An absolute pleasure to read, it illuminates encounters in the heartland of America and the pursuit of a decent meal. Not sure what a decent meal looks like? Michael Carolan shows us, and in the process also shows us what it looks like for Americans to come together in common cause." —Erik Schneiderhan, University of Toronto

"Empathy is in short supply in America at the very time we need it. Many of our political divisions reflect a lack of understanding of those different from ourselves. Carolan does an outstanding job giving voice to people in the heartland and helping us to understand their fears, anxieties, and motivations. His work helps us confront the challenges facing American society and ways to overcome those divisions."—Darrell West, Brookings Institution

"As a scholar who is interested in misunderstandings and empathy deficits, Carolan's writing offers insights into the ways that stereotypes take diverse forms and how these patterns—rooted in a fundamental lack of understanding—fuel political polarization. The end goal is not necessarily to see everybody as identical but to have an empathetic understanding rooted in a respect for alterity rather than a knee-jerk disdain for essentialized difference."—Josée Johnston, Social Forces