Dr. Glen Smith Authors Book!

Posted: March 23, 2023 by Orla Fennell

[Note: Portions of his article first appeared in a UNG Newsroom article in January 2023, and the pictures are courtesy of the UNG Newsroom: ung.edu/news/articles/2023/01/smith-authors-book-on-friendly-politics.php ]

One of our faculty members, Dr. Glen Smith, a professor of political science, just recently published a book titled Friendly Politics. His book advises people on how to foster relationships and spur productive conversations amid political divides.

Dr. Smith is an experienced political scientist with various areas of expertise including in the media, political psychology, and research methods. Dr. Smith has published numerous articles in various prestigious peer reviewed journals, as well as been interviewed by multiple news agencies during the 2020 presidential elections including: WABE, WDUN, WSB-TV, Fox 5 Atlanta, the AJC, and E&E News. Now Dr. Smith can add the publication of Friendly Politics to his illustrious list of achievements.

In his own words: "[T]he book describes the sources of toxic partisanship and its consequences for individuals, society and governmental effectiveness. This book uses proven techniques from political science, psychology and communication to help people deal with partisans in a calmer and more effective manner."

When asked about why he decided to publish a book on this topic, Dr. Smith said "[m]y previous book titled Disagreeing Agreeably was a textbook that helped students in American government classes learn how to discuss politics in a productive manner. I wanted to write a book that was aimed at doing the same for non-students in the public. Toxic partisanship is one of the most destructive elements in American politics right now, and I wanted to use what I've learned during my research to help people deal with its destructive consequences'

Dr. Smith hopes this book "will help people think about politics in a more rational way, which will help lower the temperature in American politics. If this book helps even one person stop getting angry over politics, I'll feel like I accomplished something.'

Congratulations to Dr. Smith on the publication of his book!

If you are interested in reading Friendly Politics by Glen Smith, the book can be purchased on various sites such as Amazon, Walmart, Target, and Barnes & Noble, to name a few!