The Big Flip: Race & American Democracy w/ Andrew Thompson

As the United States approaches a transformative demographic milestone--when Americans of color will become the majority and white Americans a minority--US democracy faces a test of unprecedented magnitude. This moment, the "big flip", is far more than a matter of numbers; it is a catalyst for deep political and psychological upheaval. Once merely a projection, this demographic shift now shapes national debates, fuels fears, and incites division across party lines.

This book uncovers how anticipation and misconceptions surrounding the big flip have stirred powerful anxieties, particularly among white Americans, and how these fears have been weaponized in ways that threaten the very foundations of American democracy. Andrew Ifedapo Thompson is an assistant professor of political science at the University of Pennsylvania. His research studies how racial demographic changes alter political perceptions and democratic commitments.