An urgent, data-driven framework for understanding—and repairing—America's fractured social fabric, written by the progressive leader, public health expert, and host of Crooked Media's America Dissected.
In Healing Politics, epidemiologist and public health leader Dr. Abdul El‑Sayed diagnoses the underlying driver of modern political polarization. It isn't just partisan division—it's an epidemic of economic, social, and physical insecurity shaping both our health outcomes and our national politics.
Drawing on his firsthand experience rebuilding Detroit's health department in the wake of municipal bankruptcy, El‑Sayed applies the science of public health to the American political system, offering a rigorous, empathetic framework for understanding its failures—and the conditions needed for long-term stability.
He examines how decades of disinvestment, corporate influence, and economic policy decisions have shaped everything from environmental safety to local economies and access to care. Healing Politics presents a grounded analysis of the American healthcare system and public health policy, alongside a forward-looking vision for healthcare reform, economic stability, and a more equitable society.
Key Questions Addressed in This Book:
Why are American communities experiencing rising levels of isolation and anxiety?
El‑Sayed analyzes how economic insecurity and political disenfranchisement have eroded public trust, weakened institutions, and reshaped community life.
How can the American healthcare system be improved?
Through a public health lens, the book examines structural drivers of healthcare inequality and makes the case for reform—arguing that access to care should be treated as a fundamental component of a stable society.
What drives political division in the United States today?
By connecting health, economics, and policy, El‑Sayed shows how insecurity spreads across communities, shaping political behavior and deepening divides.
What does effective change look like in practice?
The book explores approaches to policy reform and community-based action, offering a framework for bridging economic and cultural divides through a public health–informed approach to politics.
Praise for Healing Politics:
"Abdul is one of the brightest young stars in the future of the progressive movement." —Senator Bernie Sanders
"A manual for real, deep, and utterly necessary change." —Bill McKibben, author, educator, environmentalist, and founder of Third Act
"Will educate and inspire every reader." —Representative Pramila Jayapal
Whether you're interested in healthcare reform, public health policy, political theory, or the future of the American healthcare system, Healing Politics provides a clear, evidence-based framework for understanding the forces shaping modern life—and what it would take to build a healthier, more stable, and more inclusive society.
Praise
“As a doctor who helped lead Detroit’s health department Abdul knows full well the problems with America's healthcare system and is working to solve them by advocating for a Medicare for All system. Abdul is one of the brightest young stars in the future of the progressive movement.”Sen. Bernie Sanders
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“Abdul is one of our most gifted communicators and fiercest advocates for the ideal of health care as a fundamental human right. In Healing Politics, he draws on his invaluable blend of experience as a doctor, public health commissioner, and political leader to bring a sorely needed sense of empathy and humanity to the debate over how to mend our fractured society.”Pod Save America, Jon Favreau
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"This is a very important book. Abdul El-Sayed diagnoses the true epidemic of our moment: the scourge of insecurity, as we face a heartless economy and a faltering climate system. And he provides the prescription: a dose of empathy measured out in legislation and political action. It's a manual for real, deep, and utterly necessary change."author, educator, environmentalist, and founder of Third Act, Bill McKibben
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“This book is a majestic act of hope grounded in a life of great empathy and courage! From first-rate medical doctor to loving husband, father and politician, Abdul El-Sayed takes us in a breathtaking journey that uplifts our spirits in these grim days!”Harvard University, Professor Cornel West
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“In Healing Politics, Abdul El-Sayed doesn't just diagnose the causes of our broken politics; he gives us a prescription and treatment plan. Abdul's passion, empathy, and, most important, personal insight—drawn from his experience as an epidemiologist, advocate, and movement leader—will educate and inspire every reader.”Representative Pramila Jayapal
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author of On Fire: The (Burning) Case for a Green New Deal, Naomi Klein“Abdul El-Sayed is an inspired leader with a failsafe moral compass. Achingly felt and carefully reasoned, this book explains the forces that are shattering our communities—and the politics of empathy that can repair our relationships and transform society.”
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