In new episode of the 'American Democracy Lab' podcast, WashU experts discuss anger's power Students and staff from Washington University and other members of the St. Louis community protest in support of the Black Lives Matter movement in summer 2020. (Photo: Joe Angeles/Washington University) April 1, 2021 SHARE Division, partisanship, polarization — these are all terms we consistently hear in current news headlines about the state of our citizenry and political landscape. Much of the conversation and argument about contemporary politics and social activity is about individual and collective anger and rage. But these words are often used in vague and amorphous ways.