The documentary film “Undivide Us,” which explores both the impact of toxic polarization and a route for moving past it, will be shown at Hope College on Monday, Sept. 9, at 7 p.m. in the Knickerbocker Theatre in downtown Holland. 

Hosted by the college’s Markets & Morality student organization, the screening will be followed by a question-and-answer session with Benjamin Klutsey, executive director of the Mercatus Center at George Mason University and one of the experts featured in the film.

The public is invited.  Admission and concessions are free.

As described in the film’s synopsis, “America is at a crossroads where politicians, traditional media, and social media fan the flames of toxic partisanship that have led many Americans to question whether they can trust their fellow citizens. ‘Undivide Us’ stands as a beacon of hope and a call to action. Through the intimate lens of six focus groups across three American cities, the film explores the twisted landscape of toxic polarization, revealing how it drives us to places fundamentally un-American places.

“Yet, within these divisions, the film uncovers the potential for healing conversation and the rediscovery of the value of local community, mutual respect, and democracy. Aiming to awaken the silenced majority that seeks solutions rather than strife, ‘Undivide Us’ is not just a documentary; it’s a timely and urgent plea to reclaim the nation’s soul through open discourse, civic engagement, and self-governance, in a world where only 20% of the populace guides the narrative.”

Markets & Morality is co-sponsoring this film screening event with several student organizations and college departments and programs, including Hope Democrats, Hope Republicans, Vox Populi, Emmaus Scholars, Ford Leadership Forum, The Bell Tower journal, Student Congress, the Department of Communication, the Department of Education, the Department of Kinesiology, the Department of Political Science, the Center for Diversity and Inclusion, the Office of the Provost, the Office of the Dean of Arts and Humanities, the Office of the Dean of the Natural and Applied Sciences, and the Office of the Dean of Social Sciences.