Shared fandom as undervalued social 'medicine' for division, isolation

The state of the American social fabric—enormous, diverse and rent by stark partisan divides—is daunting enough that it can be hard to think about, let alone try to mend.

At the Harvard Kennedy School, two social scientists are advancing the proposition that sports fandom, a powerful social phenomenon and force, may have a role to play in improving lives and strengthening societies. ...