As a journalism student at the University of Southern California, I took up researching political friendships on college campuses due to an intense fascination with how political ideologies both unite and divide students within their social circles.
Motivated by my desire to understand more, I embarked upon this research project aimed at exploring political friendships among college students. Not only was my goal to examine how political beliefs impacted relationships but also to uncover factors which factor into ideological gaps among peers.
Through surveys, interviews and ethnographic observations I investigated how students navigate friendships across differing political spectrums. I capture both emotional, intellectual, and social dimensions of their responses while also noting their challenges and opportunities for dialogue and understanding.
This project was not just academic in nature but rather personal as I believe strongly in dialogue and empathy as powerful means to bridge ideological divides. By exploring political friendships within colleges, I wanted to contribute to an ongoing conversation on civic engagement, tolerance and inclusive discourse on campuses.
My research findings have deepened not only my academic journey but also my commitment to encouraging respectful dialogue between individuals with varying political viewpoints. My hope is that this work inspires further investigation and action towards building meaningful conservations across ideological lines within college communities as well as beyond.