Political polarization in Pittsburgh communities is rooted in economic neglect − not extremism

Pittsburgh is a city where your politics often depend on how your community and neighborhood are doing. Rebecca Droke/AFP Collection via Getty Images

When it comes to political polarization in the United States, the Pittsburgh region offers a useful window into what communities can do about it.

Pittsburgh is a “comeback city.” The once-prosperous steel industry may have declined, but universities, hospitals and technology are driving reinvention and a new emphasis on manufacturing.