Arlie Russell Hochschild, renowned sociologist and bestselling author, revealed the journey behind her recently published book “Strangers in Their Own Land: Anger and Mourning on the American Right” on Thursday at an event hosted by the University’s Sociology Department.

Hochschild spoke about her investigations during the book’s development into Louisiana bayou country, where she sought to explore political thoughts contrastive to her own in a region of strong conservative right. “It occurred to me five years ago, to get me out of the political liberal bubble in which I live, Berkeley, California — teaching sociology — to go to another bubble as far away as I can get. … And where would that be? Well, the right had grown in the South most rapidly, so I would go to the South,” said Hochschild.

Hochschild said she wanted to figure out the story behind what she called the liberal-originated idea of the “Red State Paradox.” She explained that it is ironic that the states with statistically the worst poverty, education, medical systems and life expectancy are the same states that acquire the most federal aid and are also the most suspicious of the federal government in their political mindset.

“Louisiana was an exaggeration of this red state paradox,” said Hochschild. The question Hochschild sought to answer was why people who could most benefit from “liberal” government were the ones aggressively against it.

Hochschild, however, said she noted an unexpected trend after living in the Louisiana among the community. She said her interviews with extreme right wing individuals revealed a deeper story and a sense of emotional injustice lying between the lines.

She saw individuals who are hard workers and laborers but who felt that their own American dreams weren’t progressing. Moreover, she said, these workers seemed to think that progressive government encouraged a culture of “line cutters,” as a result of programs like affirmative action. These individuals also felt that they are a religiously observant minority in a secular culture, with an overwhelming sense of estrangement to national society.

“A keyhole issue is actually the environment,” said Hochschild. “I did not go into Louisiana thinking about the environment, but I came out thinking about it.” Highlighting anecdotes from her interviews, Hochschild revealed how the life of communities around the Louisiana bayou have been devastated by the toxic waste of the local gasoline industry and by a state government that remains negligent toward it.

Overall, there is a cumulative sense of loss without gain, and many Southern conservatives begin to feel like strangers in their own land, Hochschild asserted.

“Strangers in Their Own Land: Anger and Mourning on the American Right” is a nonfiction finalist of the 2016 National Book Award.

—Max Moran contributed reporting.